Half Is Better Than None
by miznettie
Summary: Magnificent Seven Alternate Universe. Fantasy setting. Vin, Ezra and Jaydee are children. Vin is a half elf. Chris and Buck are Rangers. Nathan is a Healer. Josiah is a Sorcerer and Ezra is his apprentice. It is time for the mid-winter festival but Vin doesn't think he has a right to join in the celebration. Complete.
1. Half Is Better Than None 1

The wind was bitingly cold and carried a hint of ice. Vin lifted his head and sniffed the evening air. Soon. Not this night but surely tomorrow there would be snow. The sky was a solid mass of pale gray clouds making the evening darker than normal and that much colder. Vin pulled his cloak tighter about his thin shoulders and turned his face back to the town that lay below him. From his vantage point atop the hill he could see the neatly arrayed wood and stone buildings with their slate roofs and smoking chimneys. The roads were busy with locals hurrying about their final chores and errands, small figures in brightly colored wraps and cloaks. It was a peaceful scene and one that stabbed at the gentle heart of the young half-elf.

Though he could not see them clearly from the hillside, Vin knew that the front of each business and home was decorated with branches of holly and cedar laced with sprigs of red and white berries that had been tied with bows of bright colored ribbon. Brass bells polished to a golden shine hung from each door and extra candles would light the gaily-decorated windows at night. And as the townsfolk hurried about their tasks they walked with an extra spring to their steps and greeted each other with smiles and warm wishes for a bountiful mid-winter celebration.

Oh, how he hated the mid-winter festival.

Vin squatted on his heels and huddled into his cloak. The memories of a previous celebration were burned forever in his mind and he could recall each painful moment with perfect clarity. The smiles for others that turned to frowns when directed at him; the cheerful greetings that turned to taunts and slurs. Closed doors. Drawn curtains. Barking dogs. Even hurled clumps of mud and rocks. So much for a time of brotherhood and goodwill to your fellow man. But that was the problem, wasn't it? If he had been a human child, like Jaydee or Ezra, then he might have gotten warm pastries and sweet candies the same as the other children. He would have been allowed to sit at a table laden with food and eat until the buttons of his shirt popped from the strain. And he would have gone to sleep next to a warm fire while minstrels played their harps and sang of happy times past, present and future.

But he wasn't human, not entirely. He was a half-breed with pointed ears as an undeniable mark of his mixed heritage. A curse inherited from his elven father whom he had never met and likely never would. Pure elves found half-breeds every bit as distasteful as the humans so it was possible that his father had purposefully abandoned him rather than be burdened with an ugly, mixed-blood son. He liked to think that such was not the case; that perhaps it was a noble cause or honorable duty that separated him from his father but he would probably never know for sure. He had only the words of his dying mother that Tannerae was a name to be proud of.

A bell rang in the distance, its cheerful tone causing Vin's frown to deepen as his thoughts were drawn back to the activities below. If he squinted his eyes and looked very hard he could just make out the shape of his own home at the very far edge of the town. It was an imposing stone house that sat just a few dozen yards from the edge of the forest. Home. How could one simple word tie his emotions into such a confusing knot? How could saying it warm one part of his soul while at the same time chilling the rest?

Vin's sigh drifted out in a small white cloud. Maybe because the short time he'd spent living with Chris and the others felt more like living with a real family than the few years he'd had with his mom and his aunt. And maybe that was why this mid-winter festival was so unbearable that he'd actually felt the need to leave the one place his heart called home.

His thoughts drifted back to when the day's peaceful, early morning routine had been suddenly interrupted by Josiah's unexpected arrival with an armful of freshly cut cedar boughs and Ezra following behind with a sack of holly carried gingerly in one hand...

* * *

"Happy holiday greetings to the house of Larabee and Wilmington and all who live here!" Josiah's booming voice matched his grinning appearance and brought smiles to the faces of Chris, Buck and Jaydee. No one noticed Vin's horrified stare or the way his cheeks paled in shock.

"Josiah! Ezra! Welcome and well met!" Buck shouted his own greeting and stood to accept the festive offerings from the wizard. "Sit down and have a cup of cider. It'll take the chill out of your toes and the sting from your nose."

Ezra gladly relinquished his prickly burden while he arched an elegant eyebrow at the Ranger's colorful turn of phrase. "Sounds most... invigorating. Thank you but I shall pass."

"Well I'll take a cup and warm myself by your fire if that's all right. These old bones don't tolerate the morning chill as well as they used to."

"That being the case," Ezra settled himself on the bench next to his not so old guardian as he spoke. "Why did you insist that we go out at such an unholy hour? There are enough trees for everyone."

"Because gathering the branches is only the start." Josiah accepted his mug with a smile of thanks as he answered his young apprentice. You are accustomed to having a platoon of servants that prepare your house for the mid-winter festival; seeing to all the holiday decorations. This year you will actually be making them yourself."

"Surely you jest."

"I jest not and my name isn't Shirley." Josiah laughed at his own joke and the way Ezra's eyes rolled in mock despair.

"It'll be fun, Ezra!" Jaydee was literally bouncing around the room as he pointed out the perfect spots for the evergreen boughs. "We can put some there and there and hang the berries there and the bell will go here...we do have a bell right? And candles? And what about the altar tray for the gods? Will Mistress Nettie make us nut pastries? Will we have a honeyed ham from the butcher's? What about presents?"

"Whoa! Whoa, Little Bit. Take a moment to catch your breath and give us a chance to answer." Buck pulled the excited boy into a loving hug and tousled his dark hair. "Yes we have a bell and an altar. Yes, Mistress Nettie is making us pastries and yes, we will have a ham sweetened with honey and cloves plus all the other holiday trimmings."

"But what about presents? Huh Buck? Huh? What about the presents?"

Jaydee's guardian frowned thoughtfully and stroked his mustache. "Well, hadn't given much thought to gifts...what do you think Chris? Think we should swap tokens this year or give it a pass?"

The boy's mouth dropped open in horror as he stared at the lean, blond Ranger leaning against the fireplace mantel quietly smoking a pipe. Chris obligingly played along with his old friend and crossed his arms as if seriously considering the suggestion. "Hmmm. Well, now that you mention it, not exchanging gifts would make things a bit simpler."

"But...but...but!"

Ezra shook his head in exasperation. "They are teasing you, Jaydee. Of course there will be presents. I myself have made my selections at the local stores and am merely awaiting their delivery."

"You bought your presents? You didn't make them?" The apprentice wizard may as well have conjured a fire-breathing dragon from thin air; Jaydee's surprise was just so great.

"Make? Whatever could I make that would compare to the fine merchandise carried by our local vendors?"

"Anything! Everything!" Jaydee waved his arms in emphasis but Ezra merely tossed his head in exasperation.

"Sorry but I do not share your creative talents. Now if you will excuse me, I have just remembered one additional present I must purchase." Standish turned to his guardian with a respectful nod of his head. "I shall return in time for our afternoon lesson."

"That's fine, Ezra but why don't you take the boys with you? They might enjoy seeing the rest of the town getting ready for the festival."

Buck clapped his hands together and nodded his agreement. "That is a good idea. C'mer Little Bit, I'll help you with your cloak."

"How about it Vin, you want to take a walk?" Chris looked around when he didn't hear an immediate answer. "Vin?"

"Oh, he left right after Josiah came in. You didn't see? He went out through the kitchen." Jaydee waved a hand toward the rear of the house as he waited for Buck to pin his cloak. "He might be in the outhouse. He didn't take his wrap. You want I should take it and go look for him?"

"I'll take it." Ezra accepted the cloak with a resigned and not quite believable sigh. "If I must play shepherd to a flock I should at least see to their well being."

The three adults exchanged knowing smiles behind the backs of the departing boys. As many times as he complained about being 'forced' into the company of the younger children, Ezra always seemed to spend much of his free time at the Ranger's home.

Once the door was firmly closed, Buck turned to Josiah with an eager expression that would have rivaled that of his ward. "Well, were you able to get it? Did Ferguson accept the pheasants in exchange? Is he going to keep it for me until the day of the celebration?"

"Yes, yes and yes. And he said to tell you that two pheasants would have been more than enough but four was a very nice surprise."

"Hah! He might have taken just two but given me the runt of the litter. This way he'll feel obligated to give me one of the better pups."

Chris smiled at his friend's conniving. Personally he felt that no matter what the size of the puppy, Jaydee was sure to love it with all his heart. He had briefly toyed with idea of getting a dog for Vin as well but then decided against it. Not that the young half-elf wouldn't have liked getting a puppy but Chris knew he wanted his gift to be something even more personal. He needed something that would show the boy how important he was and how much Chris cared for him. He'd gotten the idea for the gift sometime late summer and it had taken him this long to complete it. There were a few finishing touches to be added but there was still plenty of time before the festival.

* * *

Vin stood shivering next to the large oak that shaded the well behind the house. His arms were wrapped tight around his thin body to conserve as much heat as possible. He knew it had been foolish to leave without his cloak but the instinct to flee had been too great to resist. Seeing Josiah with the cedar boughs, hearing the joyful greeting... Vin shuddered hard but not from the temperature of the air.

Just when his nerves had finally calmed to the point where he could think logically again and consider going back inside, the slam of a door and Jaydee's excited voice warned him that he was about to have company. Rather than wait for the younger boy to find him and have to explain why he was simply standing in the cold, Vin hurried to meet his cousin at the side of the house.

"Hey Vin! Ezra's got your cape 'cause we're going into town to see the decorations and Ezra's got to buy a present for someone he forgot but I think we should make our presents just like we did when my mom was alive. You remember how she made us those scarves and we made her the doll with corn husks? And I gave you the neat rock that I found by the river. Do you still have it? I think maybe you left it in our cave. Do you think we could go back and get it? Anyway, I don't think Buck or Chris would like dolls but ..."

"Master Dunn!"

Vin was saved the trouble of having to answer the barrage of questions by Ezra's exasperated cry. "Enough already! If you wish to make your gifts then by all means, go ahead; but I for one am going into town to complete my shopping. Now you may join me or not, the decision is yours."

Jaydee turned to his cousin with an excited grin on his face. "Let's go Vin! We didn't get to celebrate the last two seasons and I want to see the decorations. Maybe we can even help Ezra pick out his gift and we might get ideas of what to make for Buck and Chris and Nathan and Josiah and ..."

The young half-elf kept his face averted as he slowly pinned his cloak shut. He and his mother had never celebrated the mid-winter holiday and the winter she died he had found out why. Vin discovered that his mother had been protecting him from the cruelty of their neighbors. He'd been walking the town streets alone when he'd learned from a gang of youths that the festival was strictly for humans, not elves. And especially not half-breeds.

When the next winter festival came he was living with his aunt and as she began preparing for the holiday, he knew it was just for her son. Jaydee and his mother gathered the evergreens and decorated the small house without ever once asking for his opinion or help. His aunt was also very careful to keep Vin inside as much as possible and encouraged him to stay close to their small home. He'd been surprised when Jaydee had come to him later with the idea of making a doll for his mother but then realized that his cousin had no one else that could tie the cords tight enough to hold the husks together.

The festival day had dawned and the sounds of ringing bells had filled the town with a joyful noise. When he'd woken up, Vin had been shocked to discover a scarf lying next to his pallet by the fireplace. He'd looked up at his aunt in confusion and gotten an uneasy smile in return. She'd been quick to explain that everyone should have a scarf for the winter and since she'd had more than enough wool for two she'd decided to make one for him as well as Jaydee.

Vin could tell by the way she clasped her hands that she was worried about something and wondered if she would get into trouble for giving him a present on the human holiday. He guessed that by claiming it was something that he 'needed', no one would think to question why she'd given a present to a half-breed. Then Jaydee had suddenly bounced up with his offering of a heavy, shiny rock that he'd found in the nearby stream. A quick glance at his aunt's face and he knew that she wanted to snatch the stone from her son's hand but obviously did not want to upset him. Vin accepted both gifts with a solemn nod of his head and a very soft "Thank you." When he carefully placed both items in the small wooden box where his few belongings were kept, he could tell that his aunt was relieved to have them stored out of sight.

Jaydee's mom received her gift with a smile and a tender hug for both her son and her nephew because Jaydee kept insisting on giving Vin credit for tying the knots. Vin felt sorry for his aunt. She was trying so hard to keep Jaydee from learning the truth about his half-breed cousin. He decided to make things easier on her and as soon as their breakfast was over he had taken to the woods. Without him around they would be free to visit friends and neighbors and enjoy the bounty of food and music that everyone shared as part of the celebration. Well, everyone human anyway.

When he returned that evening Jaydee had at first demanded to know where he'd been but then became caught up in the describing what a wonderful day he'd had. Vin's aunt merely looked at him sadly and never said a word. It was later that same winter that she'd fallen so terribly ill and died just like her sister. The two years following had been filled with the day-to-day necessity of simply trying to survive and the seasons had passed without any sort of celebration. Hidden away in their underground cave, Vin had forgotten about the mid-winter festival and if Jaydee had remembered he never mentioned it.

But now they were living with humans again and it looked like Jaydee was ready to make up for the two years he'd missed. Obviously no one else had ever explained the rules of the holiday to Jaydee; they probably thought he already knew them. Vin finally closed the pin on his cloak and took a deep breath before looking up. As his blue eyes met the dark brown of his cousin's, he was surprised to see them suddenly widen in dismay and the long stream of names was interrupted with a shocking curse.

"Oh Pits!"

Vin and Ezra both stared at Jaydee in surprise. Neither could ever remember hearing the younger boy use any kind of swear word and to have it suddenly erupt without an obvious cause made it doubly astounding.

"What's wrong?" Vin took a concerned step toward his cousin. "Jaydee, are you alright?"

"I...uh...yeah...I'm fine." The words came out in a hesitant squeak as Jaydee shot a quick glance toward Ezra. "I...ah...just remembered I didn't...uh...feed the chickens this morning. Yeah, that's it."

Ezra tilted his head to one side and looked at Jaydee as if he'd just sprouted horns but before either he or Vin could question the child he suddenly started backing up.

"I should go do that. Right now."

"Right now? Can it not wait until after our trip into town? Surely they won't starve to death before we return."

"I changed my mind, I don't want to go shopping or look at the decorations. Sorry." And with that statement Jaydee ran off to the barn.

Ezra turned to Vin. "Did that make any sense to you?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Vin simply shook his head.

"Well, would you like to accompany me into town? I had thought to buy us each a pastry while there but I suppose we could bring one back for Jaydee."

Vin shook his head again. "No thanks Ezra. I think I'll stay here. I've got some chores of my own to get done. Appreciate the offer though."

Ezra watched as his friend headed off toward the fence where the horses had gathered in hopes of attention. He frowned as he considered the scene he'd just witnessed. A suspicious youth by the very nature of his upbringing, he decided that there was more to Jaydee's sudden change of heart than hungry poultry and he was not going to simply walk away without learning the truth.

* * *

Jaydee peered around the door of the barn and was surprised to find himself almost nose to nose with Ezra. He quickly stepped back and stammered a surprised greeting. "Hey Ezra. Thought you'd be on your way by now."

"Yes, well so did I but I also thought I would have company. Mind telling me why you and Vin have seen fit to alter my plans? Have I done something to offend you? Are you upset with me?"

"No! Nothing like that. It's just that I forgot." Jaydee looked down at his boots and shuffled his feet in embarrassment. "I forgot that Vin's half elf."

If anything Ezra was even more confused. "You forgot that Vin... your cousin... the one with the pointed ears and uncanny archery ability... had a father that was an elf?"

"I mean I forgot about elves not liking the mid-winter festival. It upsets them."

"What are you talking about?"

Jaydee waved his hands. "You know, the festival. The day we give thanks to the gods and ask them for protection for the next year. Elves don't have the same gods. My mom explained it to me the year Vin came to live with us. She was afraid I had gotten my feelings hurt when he didn't give me a gift or wish me a blessed year or place an offering on our altar or go with us visiting or..."

"All right, I get the idea." Ezra began pacing the width of the barn as he considered this startling information. It was true that his own past experiences with the holiday had been socially restricted. As Josiah had stated earlier, he was used to having servants handle all of the holiday details. And there had never been a need to shop for gifts since his mother always purchased exactly what she wanted and the household staff were given money. And of course they had never gone visiting either. After all, it was considered an honor to be invited to Standish Hall for the midwinter feast. Perhaps it was because of his sheltered upbringing that he'd never heard of elves being bothered by the holiday.

"So you're saying that elves disapprove of humans having a mid-winter celebration because we invoke the blessings of the gods?"

"All I know is that the elves in our town always packed up and left a few days before the festival and didn't come back until a few days after. And mom told me not to question Vin about it 'cause I might upset him." Jaydee rubbed a hand through his thick, dark hair. "I'm stupid. I should have remembered. I should have figured that was why Vin got that funny luck on his face and took off the way he did when you and Josiah came in. Now he's probably mad at me and he's going to leave like all the other elves and not come back until it's over."

Ezra stopped pacing. "Considering his age I hardly think he will be striking out on his own. No, wait. This is Vin we are talking about. But where do all the elves go when they leave? What about the ones that have businesses?"

Jaydee shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. When mom was alive I didn't think to ask her."

"Then the first thing we should do is find out. I don't believe that Chris or the others would intentionally do anything to upset Vin yet they showed no hesitation in discussing the holiday or sending us to town."

"Hey, you're right!" A grin suddenly lit up Jaydee's face but then almost instantly disappeared again. "But what if they figure that since Vin's mom was human that he celebrates the day just like us?"

"That's far too many 'what ifs'." Ezra straightened his cloak and turned to the door. "We need facts before we can reach any kind of definite conclusion. I suggest we start with our trip to town and observe for ourselves the actions of the local elven population. I know of three stores owned by elves and am on speaking terms with a gentleman that is a courier. We shall soon learn the truth."

"But, why don't we just ask Buck and Chris or Josiah?"

"Because...well because this will be much more interesting. And there is a certain satisfaction to learning the truth for oneself."

"And because you don't want to look dumb in front of the grownups?"

"Are you coming with me or not?"

* * *

From his perch on the top rail of the fence, Vin watched as his cousin and Ezra made their way to the road and then headed in the direction of town. "Guess the chickens didn't need feeding after all." Giving a small sigh he turned back to the important job of scratching the itch between the ears of Chris' horse. The young half-elf wasn't used to sharing his feelings or problems with other people so whenever he felt troubled he always sought out the company of the horses. He could tell them his deepest secrets and never have to worry about being laughed at or ridiculed. They didn't care if he was a half-breed and they never questioned or judged him. Of course, they never came up with any good advice or suggestions either but they did offer their own brand of comfort.

Vin sighed again and gave the big, black horse one last rub on the nose before jumping down from the rail. This time, sharing his depression with the small herd was not making him feel better. If anything, the solitude was only making him more aware of his situation. The boy finally admitted to himself that for once he really wanted to talk to someone that would listen sympathetically. And maybe, if he dared to dream so wildly, offer some kind and helpful words in response.

"Maybe I should talk to Chris." But no, that didn't seem like a good idea. Besides taking care of Vin, Chris worked really hard as both a horse breeder and a ranger. To go to Chris with his holiday concerns seemed...ungrateful. Buck might have been a possibility but Vin had a feeling that anything he said to the easygoing warrior would wind up being repeated to Chris. Not out of meanness, in fact just the opposite. The same was also true for Josiah and Nathan. The sorcerer and the healer often deferred to Chris as their leader and when it came to the care of the two cousins not one of them made a decision without consulting the others. In a way it was like having four fathers, which normally was not such a bad thing. But right now it wasn't a father he wanted or really needed.

It caught the child off guard when the first warm drop of water ran down his cold cheek. Rubbing his eyes with his knuckles, Vin fought back the unexpected tears as he admitted to himself that the person he wanted to talk to more than anyone else was his mother. But she had been human and her spirit was with the gods whom he was not allowed to call on. And that meant she was gone from him forever, in this life and the next. More tears fell and with a desperate sob Vin began running towards the woods. "It's not fair! Why did my father have to be an elf? Why? Why couldn't my mom have loved someone human? Someone like Chris?"

The path through the woods was well worn and Vin's feet followed it without conscious thought. Small animals and birds scattered and scurried ahead of the fleeing child who was near blinded with grief.

But there was one creature that did not run. It watched from the thick underbrush, with dark, angry eyes as the half-elf ran along the trail. As the sound of the boy's footfalls faded in the distance it stepped out of the shadows and gave a rumbling snort of anger as it started slowly following the same path.

* * *

"See, this store is shuttered too." Jaydee waved his hand at the covered windows of the small candle shop. "I told you. All the elves have left."

As much as Ezra wanted to argue, it was impossible to deny the evidence of his own eyes. This was the third elven owned business they had visited and just like the first two, it was locked up tight. Added to that was the discovery that the home of Lanis, the elven courier that had worked for Ezra's mother was also shuttered, with the well covered and no smoke rising from the chimney. Lanis had a mate and two children so even if he was making a delivery there should have been some sign of habitation. Instead it looked like the whole family was gone.

"So, what do we do now? Do we tell Chris and the others that we shouldn't celebrate because it will make Vin leave?" Although Jaydee made the suggestion bravely, his eyes betrayed how very much he was hoping for a better solution.

He would never admit it out loud but Ezra had been secretly looking forward to the mid-winter festival himself. His mother had been quite generous with his allowance and he'd found the whole 'price haggling - shopping' experience to be a great deal of fun. The young apprentice was especially excited about the gift he'd found for his teacher. The thought of not giving Josiah his mid-winter present was simply unacceptable.

"Well, we now know that elves do leave for the festival and you yourself stated that Vin did not participate in the celebration with you and your mother. However we also know that Vin only found it necessary to leave for one day. Perhaps his human mother does have some influence on his tolerance of the holiday."

Jaydee thought about this for a moment as he followed the older boy past the gaily-decorated stores. "You mean maybe it will be all right for us to decorate and exchange gifts and stuff as long as we don't ask him to join in? I don't know Ez, that sounds kind of mean."

"I think it would be even more cruel if we were to try and convince him to participate when it goes against his beliefs."

"What beliefs? Oomph." Caught off guard by Ezra's sudden stop, Jaydee ran into his friend's back with enough force to make them both stagger.

"What did you just say?"

"I was just wondering what beliefs elves have?"

"From the mouths of babes..."

Jaydee drew himself up straight and jutted out his chin. "Who are you calling a baby?"

Waving aside the misunderstanding, Ezra turned down a side street and broke into a determined stride forcing his smaller companion to trot to keep up. "Of course! Why didn't I think of that? If Vin cannot participate in our celebration than perhaps he could have one of his own. There must be some kind of holiday or special occasion that we can make use of."

"Vin's never mentioned anything. And all the elves are gone now. Who are we gonna ask? Josiah?"

"That would necessitate a return to your home and I have not yet completed my errand. I was thinking of someone here in town; a woman with a store of knowledge to match her many years."

Jaydee's hurried steps turned into a happy skip as he figured out where they were going. "Mistress Nettie! Sure, she'll know! And she really likes Vin so she'll definitely help us."


	2. Half Is Better Than None 2

Vin leaned against the small wooden fence while he caught his breath. He had not intentionally made his way to Mistress Nettie's home but now that he was standing at the entrance to her garden he felt compelled to seek the woman out. In the short time he'd known the ancient, kindly herbalist she'd shown nothing but love and compassion for both him and his cousin. She was the grandmother that neither child had ever had and the only person that Vin could even consider sharing his holiday concerns with. But even with her, Vin would be cautious and choose his approach carefully. Only after he had his breathing under control and he was reasonably sure his face was clear of watery stains did he unlatch the gate and walk slowly up the stone path. He noticed that the window overlooking the garden was open just a bit and sniffing the air he caught the delicious aroma of freshly baked fruit pies.

Arriving at the door, Vin lifted his hand to knock but suddenly found himself facing a flour-dusted apron instead of the gaily-painted wood panel.

"Well it's about time. I though for a moment I was going to have to come out and get you." Mistress Nettie's voice may have sounded stern but the smile on her face and the sparkle in her eyes had Vin grinning in response. "It never fails. I can go a week without seeing hide nor hair of you and Jaydee but let me start baking and you're like bears to honey."

Vin stepped through the door but hesitated before moving further into the warm, fragrant kitchen. "If you're too busy..."

"Nonsense, child. Let the dough fall and the cookies burn; the butter melt and the milk to turn, for now and always, you are my one concern."

"Hey, that rhymed." Vin cocked his head to one side as he replayed the words in his head. He'd always had a fondness for lyrical phrases and had even tried creating some himself though he kept them a closely guarded secret. "Did you just make that up?"

Nettie's smile took on a slightly wistful cast as she moved back to her cluttered table. "Actually it was something my mother used to say and I just remembered it. So thank you, Vin, for reminding me of something precious that I had forgotten. And now that you have done something for me, what may I do for you?"

Giving a small shrug of his shoulders, Vin slowly paced around the kitchen taking in all the platters of bread, spice cakes and cookies. He realized that as much as Nettie liked to cook, this was still an unusual amount of food. "Are you having a party?"

"Well, I wouldn't call it a party but I certainly plan on having a few friends over the day of the festival. And one can't have guests and not feed them."

"Oh. The festival." Vin made his way back to the table where Nettie was busy dusting a tray of cookies with fine, white sugar. So, Mistress Nettie was going to celebrate too. And she was going to have some of her friends over to celebrate. Stifling a depressed sigh, Vin poked idly at a particularly ugly looking cookie that had missed getting a sweet coating.

"Now, now. No sampling. They may not look like much but these are treasure treats. An old family recipe and only made for this holiday."

Vin quickly snatched his hand back as if he'd been slapped. "I wasn't going to take one." Certainly not after being told they were holiday cookies and so not for elves or half-breeds.

Nettie felt a pang of guilt at the sad look on the child's face. She knew that Vin had a powerful sweet tooth and it had been more than a few days since his last visit. She didn't know if Chris kept any kind of sweets on his horse ranch but would guess not. "Vin..."

"Mistress Nettie? Are you in?" A brightly chiming bell and Ezra's raised voiced announced the arrival of the apprentice wizard through the front door of Nettie's herb shop. "Hello?"

"Hey! Nettie!" Jaydee's louder, more demanding voice echoed through the store.

Nettie picked up the cookie closest to Vin and pushed it into his hands. "Here now, this will be our little secret. Make sure you don't tell the other boys." She just couldn't help herself. No matter how she tried to deny it, Vin was her favorite and she couldn't bear the thought of sending him away empty handed. "I'll see what they want out front and give you time to eat it. Just make sure you break it open and don't bite directly into it." Thinking that Vin would still be there when she returned, Nettie hurried down the short hall that led from her living quarters to her small shop of medicinal herbs.

For a long, silent moment Vin stared down at the cookie in his hands. Any appetite he may have had was completely gone. Very slowly, very carefully he placed the cookie back on the platter then brushed the crumbs from his hands. It was nice of Nettie to have given it to him even knowing it was wrong and that she might get in trouble but the very thought of eating the holiday treat made his stomach churn. Turning away from the table Vin was about to head for the back door when he heard Jaydee's voice once more.

"...since he's half elf and can't celebrate with the rest of us."

Oh, that hurt. Knowing it in his head was one thing; hearing his cousin actually say the words was like a big fist, squeezing his heart. Vin hurried across the room, desperate to escape the painful truth. As he reached for the latch he caught the faint sound of Nettie's laughter. The fist around his heart suddenly turned into a dagger of ice at the shocking betrayal. How could she offer him a holiday cookie one moment and then laugh at him the next?

In the terrible wound left in his soul, a small seed of anger took root and began to grow at an incredible rate; fueled by years of doubt and fear. And where the worry of rejection had made him weak, this new emotion made him strong. Striding back to the loaded work table, Vin picked up the cookie that Nettie had given him plus one more just for spite and then left the kitchen without a backward glance.

* * *

"Mistress Nettie? Are you in?" Ezra peered around the cluttered herb shop as he stopped just inside the door. Jaydee pushed his way further in with an exasperated snort.

"Of course she's in, the door was unlatched." Raising his voice, Jaydee called out "Hey! Nettie!" He was just taking a breath to yell again when the curtain separating the shop from the rest of the house was pushed aside.

"That's quite enough yelling, thank you. I'm old and slow, not deaf."

Ezra flashed his toothiest grin and gave Mistress Nettie a courtly bow. "Good day to you, Mistress. And how are you on this fine winter morn?"

"My bones ache from the cold, the morning is half over and I've got pies in the oven that are going to burn if I don't go pull them out. Now is this a social call or have you got another case of the trots?"

The young apprentice blushed and tried to stammer out a reply but Jaydee beat him to it. "We ain't sick but we need your help and we don't have much time because it's only two days till the festival. And since you're probably the oldest person in town and you're loads smarter than anyone else we figured you'd be the best person to ask." Jaydee was fairly bouncing in place with pent up energy and his voice grew louder as he spoke. "We need to know what gods elves worship because we want to do something special for Vin since he's half elf and can't celebrate with the rest of us."

At first Nettie just stared at the two earnest boys and her smile quickly grew into a hearty laugh. Jaydee had managed to both insult and compliment her in one long breath. And while she was confused on a couple of points it sounded like Ezra and Jaydee were trying to arrange a surprise for Vin which was something she was more than willing to help with. "Well, first things first. You two wait here for just a moment while I go check on my pies." And at the same time she could make sure that Vin didn't make a sudden appearance and spoil whatever plans were being made.

Nettie was surprised and a little disappointed to find her kitchen empty. It wasn't like Vin to take off without saying goodbye. And she had gotten the impression that he wanted to talk about something that was troubling him. If she didn't know better, she would almost swear that Vin was avoiding his cousin and Ezra. "Well, whatever it is I'm sure it will all come out in the wash."

Once the pies were safely placed on cooling stones, Nettie collected her two young visitors and sat them down at the large wooden table in her kitchen so she could keep working while they talked.

"Now, what's this nonsense about Vin not celebrating the mid winter holiday?"

This time Jaydee remained silent while Ezra explained the facts, as they knew them. Nettie listened in silence as her hands kneaded and pounded yet another batch of seasoned bread dough.

"So you see, we felt that perhaps we could persuade Vin to remain in town with the rest of us if we found a way to include some kind of elven tradition. Our problem lies in that we have no idea what gods elves pray to or how they make their offerings."

Nettie placed her ball of dough on a platter to rise and then focused her entire attention on the two boys seated before her. "Jaydee, has Vin ever come right out and said that he didn't want to celebrate the holiday with you?"

"Well...no. Not exactly. But my mom said..."

"I'm sure your mother was a kind and loving woman and did only what she thought was best. But I also think that your mother listened to what other 'humans' told her and never asked an elf directly." Nettie arched an eyebrow at her guests as she added, "Kind of like you two are doing right now."

"Well, it's not like we didn't go looking for elves today." Ezra drew himself up stiffly as he defended his actions. "It's not our fault they have all left. Something which seems to only add credence to what Jaydee's mother told him."

Nettie shook her head and settled into a chair across from the boys. "But you didn't think to ask Vin himself what he wanted or what he believed in. Now I realize that he is half elf but he is also half human and it was his mother that raised him. Perhaps they did celebrate the holiday just the way we do or maybe his mother followed the elven traditions of Vin's father; problem is we don't know and we won't know unless we ask Vin." Nettie looked steadily at Jaydee as she continued. "Your mother probably tried very hard to make him as welcome as possible and avoided asking him any direct questions for fear he would get upset. But if you really want to do right by Vin you should talk to him and find out exactly how he feels about the holiday."

Ezra and Jaydee regarded each other solemnly across the table. Ezra finally shrugged his shoulders and Jaydee gave a nod of his head.

"Yes, we will talk to him. But for our own curiosity; do elves have gods they pray to?" The young apprentice wizard found his lack of knowledge annoying and a little embarrassing. He hated having to go to adults with questions that would make him seem stupid but he hated not knowing the answers even more.

"Elves do have a god and they do pray to him but their special day of celebration is in the spring when the first flowers bloom."

"So why does our winter festival upset them so much that they have to leave?" Jaydee hoped Nettie was right and his cousin would stay for the celebration but he had trouble believing it would be as easy as she made out.

Mistress Nettie shook her head and wiped the flour from her hands. "They don't leave because of our holiday. All the elves journey to their ancestral homes for a special ceremony that happens at about the same time as our midwinter festival. It has nothing to do with gods or being offended."

"What kind of ceremony?"

"I'm not sure of the details but I know it has to do with giving thanks for the stars. I think they hang candles in the trees around their homes and keep a vigil throughout the night."

The two boys shared an incredulous look, both of them thinking the same thought. What was so great about the stars that the elves would feel it necessary to set aside a special night just to give thanks? Jaydee was about to question Nettie further when Ezra suddenly stood and began edging for the door.

"Well, you have been most helpful, Mistress Nettie and we do thank you for your assistance. But obviously we are keeping you from your work and so we really should be going. Come along, Jaydee; I still have that last gift to purchase and Josiah will be looking for my return."

"Oh, yeah; I'd forgotten about that. Thanks, Nettie. We'll see you again soon."

Mistress Nettie followed the two boys to the front door and watched them hurry down the street. As they turned a corner she was suddenly struck by a troubling thought. 'I wonder if that was the reason Vin had come to see me. Maybe there really is something about the holiday that bothers him?' As she returned to her shop, Nettie promised herself that she would make time to visit Chris the next day. Ezra and Jaydee meant well, but it would probably be best to warn the ranger of the possibility of trouble.

* * *

Vin strode down the road, his head held high and his gaze defiant. When he'd left Mistress Nettie's he'd automatically headed for the trail that would take him away from the town and its crowded, festive streets. But then he'd thought, 'Why should I have to sneak around? I live here too. I have a right to go wherever I want. And if I can't join in the festival then so what? Who cares about a bunch of bells and cedar branches anyway?' So he'd turned and made his way to the road that would take him right through the heart of the small town.

At first, the muscles in his shoulders had been tense and his stomach tight with nervousness. But as he continued to pass the shops and human pedestrians without incident he grew more confident. No one challenged his presence or yelled insults at him. And so what if smiles turned to frowns when directed his way. Let them scowl and talk behind his back if it pleased them.

It never occurred to Vin that some of the faltering smiles were caused by his own angry glare; and for some adults, an honest concern for a child obviously troubled. He held firmly to the belief that he was unwelcome in the town of Four Corners during its time of celebration and continued his silent march of defiance.

There was no denying the giddy sense of relief as he passed the smithy marking the edge of the town. His angry march turned into a more relaxed stride as he turned off the main road onto a well-beaten path that curved sharply before crossing a small wooden bridge spanning a shallow stream. This path would take him along the forest edge and eventually to the Ranger's holding. It would have been quicker to cut through the woods at this point but Vin was in no hurry to see the decorations that he knew Chris and the others were bound to have hung up. He guessed it would be just like the one season he'd spent with Jaydee's mom; everyone doing their best to celebrate 'around' the half-elf that wasn't supposed to be there. He imagined Chris handing him a present and making up an excuse for the giving. It was no wonder all the elves left before the holiday.

Vin's steps slowed even further as he came to the depressing realization that it would be better for everyone if he also left town until after the celebration was over. But where to go in the middle of winter? Unbidden, his cousin's words from that morning returned to his thoughts. 'I think maybe you left it in our cave. Do you think we could go back and get it?' Of course, the cave! It would still have a small supply of wood and he needed only take a blanket and enough food to last a few days. It was the perfect solution. Vin's steps faltered. Yeah, it would solve everyone's problem; the problem of him being only half human. Giving another sigh, Vin focused his thoughts on the task of gathering supplies as he resumed his walk home, unaware of the anger filled eyes that watched him from the shadows of the woods.

* * *

"You forgot your own mother?!"

"Yes, well this is my first season actually purchasing gifts." Ezra huffed as he carefully nestled the fragile ceramic statuette in the crook of his arm. "And I did remember in advance of the actual day so it is not like I truly forgot." He scowled at Jaydee's snort of disagreement. "Regardless, I now have her present so we may return to your home and commence with our preparations for the holiday."

Jaydee chewed thoughtfully on his lower lip as he followed his friend down the street. After a long moment of silence, he finally spoke his concern aloud. "Are you sure we shouldn't do what Nettie said and just ask Vin? What if we get it wrong? We could make things even worse."

"I hardly see how things could possibly become worse. And bear in mind we will be enlisting Josiah, Buck and Chris' aid in this endeavor so if there are objections to be raised I am sure they will not hesitate to do so."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right."

"Of course I am. Now, if you will please increase your pace to that of a bred mount and not a draft horse we may actually make it back in time to eat some lunch before my afternoon lessons begin."

"Can't you just say, 'Hurry up, Jaydee, I'm hungry'?"

"I believe I just did."

* * *

Chris frowned and looked to Josiah who could only shrug his shoulders.

"I've heard that the elves give thanks for the stars and it has something to do with how they arrived in this land but I don't know any more details than what Ezra just told you. As to Vin being bothered by the mid winter celebration... I suppose its possible."

"We have Jaydee's first hand account from the one winter Vin spent with him and his mother." Ezra quickly spoke up to add further weight to his argument.

"I guess we could just come right out and ask Vin how he feels about it..."

Chris shook his head at the wizard's suggestion. "Like as not he would say what he thought we wanted to hear. He's still too insecure and unsure of his place here." The ranger began pacing in front of the fireplace, his head bowed in thought. Truth was it had been at least a double handful of years since the last time he had truly celebrated the winter festival. He had stopped making offerings to the gods after his first real battle when he'd decided that life and death were controlled more by mortal hands than whims of invisible beings. He'd turned his back to them completely after the death of his wife and child.

It had been Buck that had first mentioned the approaching celebration, explaining his plans to give Jaydee a puppy. Chris had been working on his surprise for Vin for several weeks by then and had agreed that the festival would be the perfect time to present it. Neither man had considered decorations or holy offerings until Josiah had spoken with them regarding his own plans for Ezra. Now, what had seemed like a good idea might very well be driving Vin from his home.

Buck shifted uneasily in his chair next to the table. It bothered him to see his best friend wracked by doubt and he felt more than a little responsible because honestly, he had been as excited as Jaydee by the decorations and extravagant foods. The green branches and red ribbons brought back fond memories of peaceful winters spent with his own mother. And maybe he'd been selfish, wanting to recapture some of those memories and share them with the young boys.

Finally it was Jaydee who broke the tense silence with an exasperated sigh and a noticeable whine in his voice. "If we can't ask Vin then what can we do? Do we have to take the decorations down? And what about the surprise that Ezra thought of? Can we still do that?"

Chris stopped his pacing and let out a small sigh of his own. "I think Ezra's idea has merit; if he and Josiah can work out the details. I even know the perfect tree for you to use. We can take a walk out there right after lunch. As for the decorations, we'll leave them up for now. I'll talk to Vin alone tonight and explain that we don't want him to be upset and try to make him understand that it really is okay if he doesn't want to join in the celebration but that we'd like him to stay."

Everyone felt a sense of relief with Chris taking charge and making plans. The tense and gloomy atmosphere lightened considerably and soon Jaydee was once again his usual, energetically cheerful self. Food was placed on the table amidst happy chatter of holiday's past and future. Chris was just about to step outside to call for Vin when the door opened and the young half-elf walked in. Everyone stopped talking and looked at the new arrival who stood silently waiting just inside the threshold. There was an awkward moment of shared guilt and uncertainty and the silence seemed to echo through the room.

Vin's eyes darted from one person to another and for a few thumping heartbeats he actually felt the urge to turn and run.

"There you are." Everyone gave a twitch of surprise when Chris suddenly spoke. "Lunch is ready. Josiah and Ezra are staying to eat with us. Hang up your cloak and then come sit down." There was a brief, tense pause and then Vin gave a small nod of his head and began unfastening his cloak.

Chris turned his back to the room to hide the grimace of anger he couldn't control. He swore to himself that he would personally rip down and burn every fragment of greenery in the house if that was what it would take to keep from seeing the haunted look of doubt and fear on Vin's face ever again. He would definitely sit down and have a private talk with his ward that night and in the meantime he would do everything he could to help Ezra and Jaydee with their surprise. Squaring his shoulders and forcing a bland expression on his face, the ranger rejoined his adopted family gathered round the table.

* * *

He'd stood for a long moment outside the house, looking at the shining brass bell hanging next to the door, debating whether or not he should walk around to the kitchen entrance. But inside would be the evergreen branches and bright ribbons; candles on the mantle and somewhere a small wooden altar for making offerings to the gods. Ezra and Jaydee were inside; he knew that because he'd been lurking in the shadows of the barn when they'd returned from their visit to Mistress Nettie. They had approached the house side by side, Jaydee talking excitedly about some idea he had for gifts for Buck and the others while Ezra had nodded and shaken his head in response to different queries.

For the second time Vin had felt an uncomfortable feeling of anger and even jealousy. Jaydee was 'his' cousin and best friend. He wasn't supposed to go off and make festival plans with Ezra. It didn't seem fair, just because both of Jaydee's parents were human. The anger had built as he imagined them inside the warm house, laughing and talking to Buck and Chris, surrounded by the decorations and making plans for the celebration. Once more the emotion had given him the strength to take action and he'd marched to the door determined to confront his so-called family. But there his courage had failed him with the glint of sunlight from the small, golden bell.

How long he'd actually stood there he couldn't say, but it was long enough for him to go over his careful plans for leaving two more times and replace the anger with a sad but determined acceptance of the facts. Jaydee was human. Chris, Buck, Josiah, Ezra, Nathan and Nettie were all human. He didn't doubt their friendship, not really. But the mid-winter festival was for humans. And he was only a half breed. He was sure that as soon as the holiday was past everything would get back to normal and it would be a whole year before he'd have to leave again. And maybe as he got older it would get easier. And then of course one day he'd be on his own and it wouldn't even matter.

So, taking a deep breath Vin had opened the door and stepped through hearing Jaydee's rapid speech and Josiah talking to Ezra about crystals while Chris asked the room in general who wanted white bread and who wanted dark. For one brief moment he'd felt a sense of relief at how normal it was but then all eyes had turned to him and silence had fallen. Smiles faltered. Hand's stilled. Vin caught glimpses of decorative greenery as he'd looked around the room at the staring faces. Run! His mind had shouted. Then Chris had spoken in his calm but commanding voice and Vin had found himself gratefully following instructions.

Sitting at the table next to Jaydee, he quietly ate his lunch and listened to the others talking about such trivial things like the weather and the chores that needed doing. Whose turn it was to fill the wood bin and the water barrel. Whether or not there were any winter nuts left in the forest or if the squirrels had gotten them all. Vin kept his head down but was aware of the quick glances cast his way and knew that everyone was being very careful to talk about anything except the upcoming festival. The food was tasteless in his mouth and the water did nothing to quench his thirst. Everyone seemed to be eating as quickly as possible and it was a relief when Jaydee jumped up and announced he was finished.

Chris pushed his plate away, never before so glad to see the end of a meal. "Well, I need to go check the fence on the west side. A tree came down in that area and I need to make sure the limbs haven't damaged the rails."

"Ezra and I need to leave as well. We are going to do a little field work for his lesson today and need to find someplace secluded." Josiah and his apprentice stood and followed Chris to the door.

"Well, I promised Mistress Inez that I would come take a look at her roof. She's afraid that last storm might have cracked some slates." Buck grabbed his cape and pulled it across his broad shoulders with an extra flourish. "And afterwards I might just be invited to stay for dinner, so don't look for me before dark."

Jaydee bounced in place as he waited for a chance to take his cloak down from the wall pegs. "And I've got to...uh...feed the chickens. Cause I forgot again."

Chris paused just inside the door and turned to Vin who was still seated at the table with a bemused look on his face. "Vin, would you mind cleaning up the dishes? I know it's Jaydee's turn but he can do it the next two times, alright?"

Vin nodded silently and stood to begin gathering the plates. He heard the door close behind him and the latch fall into place with a loud 'clack' that sent a shudder through his slight frame. For the first time since coming to live with the rangers he felt cut off and alone. He had a sudden urge to run after Chris and apologize for being born a half-breed and swear to do anything necessary if only he could stay with his family. He found himself reaching toward the door handle while still clutching a cup in his hand. The absurdity made him pause and he was able to reassert some self-control. Taking a deep, calming breath, Vin forced himself to turn and finish his task of clearing the table.

As he carried a stack of plates to the wash bucket, Vin spotted a pair of well-worn leather gloves lying on the bench by the door. He recognized them instantly as the ones Chris always wore when working on the ranch and his heart leaped at the sudden opportunity. Now he had a good reason for following after the ranger. And maybe once they were alone together he could find a way to convince Chris that he would not ruin the festival if he were allowed to stay. Setting the dishes on the bench, Vin snatched up the gloves and practically dove through the door, forgetting his cloak in his rush.

He knew exactly where the tree had fallen and the most direct path for reaching the fence. His feet flew across the ground as he ran through the yard, barely slowing when he entered the forest and the leaf covered trail. The path took a sharp turn to the left as it crested a small rise and Vin skidded as he hit a small patch of hidden frost. Falling forward, he landed heavily on his stomach and was momentarily stunned as the breath was forced from his lungs. Slowly gathering himself up and rising to his hands and knees, the boy froze as he heard an unexpected sound. Laughter?

Moving off the trail, Vin made his way quietly from tree trunk to tree trunk, sure that not only was he hearing Jaydee's laugh but also Josiah's deep rumbling voice. He paused behind a particularly thick oak and peered cautiously around the side. Once again his breath escaped his lips in a rush but this time it was a gasp of surprise. There on the trail stood Chris talking and laughing with Josiah, Ezra and Jaydee. And even as Vin watched, Buck approached them from the side and it was obvious that they had been waiting on his arrival. Vin was too far away to hear what they were saying but it was as plain as the nose on his face and the points on his ears that this was a planned meeting and that he had been purposefully excluded.

This time the anger came faster and stronger then ever before. "Fine." Vin muttered to himself. "I don't care. Let them have their holiday. I don't need it or them." He watched as Chris led the others deeper into the woods and his resolve to leave strengthened with each step they took. "Just . . .just fine."

Vin returned to the trail and made his way slowly back to the house. He stepped over the dropped gloves without really seeing them, his thoughts once more focused on the supplies he needed to gather. The list had become considerably longer as Vin was not sure exactly how long he would stay away. Or for that matter, if he would even return. From the darkest shadows, small, red-rimmed eyes watched the boy leave the woods. Now? No. But soon. Very, very soon.

* * *

They hadn't planned on staying gone so long but the sun was touching the tops of the nearby hills when Chris and the others began making their way back to the house. If anything, Jaydee was even more excited about the upcoming celebration and he bounced in circles around Buck as they discussed the different foods they both looked forward to eating. Ezra and Josiah were lost in a heated discussion about the amount of power needed for a certain type of spell and whether or not the wording could be changed and still produce the same results. Chris walked ahead of the others, lost in his own pleasant thoughts and the warm glow from the praise his friends had showered on him at the sight of Vin's surprise. But he was still a ranger and years of fighting meant he was always on alert and watchful of his surroundings.

At first he wasn't sure what he was looking at but as he drew closer he realized that it was a pair of leather gloves lying on the trail. And not just any gloves; they were his work gloves. What were they doing here?

"Chris? What are you looking at?"

"My gloves." Chris held them up so Buck and the others could see.

"You must have dropped them on our way out. Getting careless in your old age."

Chris shook his head. "No, I didn't bring them. I left them sitting..." He turned and looked in the direction of the house. "On the bench by the door."

"But then how did they get here?" Buck suddenly found himself talking to empty air as Chris started jogging down the trail.

Ezra frowned and turned to Josiah. "What's so important about his gloves?"

The sorcerer shook his head. "I'm not sure. Buck?"

"If he left the glove in the house, which means that someone carried them out here. And then..." Buck paused and studied the ground at his feet. "Looks like that someone fell and dropped the gloves."

"But, wouldn't that 'someone' have to be Vin?" Jaydee saw the looked exchanged between Josiah and Buck and felt the muscles in his stomach tighten. "What? Has something happened to him?" Without waiting for an answer, Jaydee began running toward the house.

"Jaydee! Wait! We don't know that for sure. Pits!" Buck threw an exasperated glance to Josiah and then took off after his ward.

"Well, I suppose we should make haste as well." Ezra tried to appear calm but Josiah could see the worry in his green eyes. Resting his hand on the boy's shoulder, he guided him in quick but controlled walk up the trail.

"Here's another important lesson for you, Ezra; it won't do you any good to run somewhere if you're out of breath when you arrive."

"Why is that?"

"Because it's hard to say a spell correctly when you're gasping for air."

"Vin! Vin?" Chris threw open the back door and froze at the darkness within. None of the lamps were lit and the fire had died away to a bed of glowing embers. The only light in the house came from the un-shuttered windows and that was little more than a dim glow because of the clouds obscuring the setting sun. Chris swallowed the knot of fear that formed in his throat. Stepping into the room, his gaze took in the table still covered with dirty dishes and the remains of their lunch. Looking down, he saw a cup and a plate sitting on the bench in the spot where he'd left his gloves. "Vin?"

Pounding footsteps had the ranger spinning and dropping into a defensive crouch.

"Where's Vin? Is he okay? What are you doing?" Jaydee skidded to a confused stop in front of the door.

Ignoring the questions, Chris stood and headed for the stairs leading to the second level.

There were four rooms upstairs, one each for Buck and Chris and one with two small cots for Vin and Jaydee. The fourth room had been converted into a kind of playroom, which the boys used when the weather was bad enough to keep them inside. All four doors stood open and the rooms beyond were shrouded in darkness.

"Vin?" Chris peered into the room shared by the two boys. Even in the dim lighting he immediately spotted the empty brackets on the wall opposite the door. He'd fixed those metal hooks in place for the sole purpose of holding Vin's bow and quiver of arrows which never left the house except in the hands of their young owner. If they were gone that meant...

Buck found Jaydee standing just inside the door, his arms wrapped tightly around his chest as if he were trying to hold himself together. He also noticed the dark and silent house and understood immediately what it meant. Still he looked hopefully to the stairs when he heard the sound of footsteps descending.

"Chris?"

"His bow and arrows are gone. So is the leather brace I fixed for his back. There's a blanket missing from his bed and his cloak isn't hanging up. Check the pantry and see how much food is missing."

Not 'if' there was food gone but how much. Buck numbly lit the nearest lamp and did as he was told. "A double wedge of cheese, the remains of the dark bread and a handful of dried beef. Some apples, not sure how many and maybe some nuts. There's a pouch missing so he might have taken some oats as well. Yeah, there's a small pot gone too."

Chris nodded and began buckling on his sword that he'd apparently retrieved from his room. "Four, maybe five days worth if he rations it. More if he also hunts."

Josiah and Ezra arrived just as Chris was drawing his blade to check its edge. The sorcerer frowned in confusion.

"Vin's gone? Because of the festival?"

"Nettie told us to just ask him!" Jaydee startled everyone with his angry shout. Glaring at the others as he wiped the tears from his cheeks, the angry child continued his accusation. "We should have done what she said and then he wouldn't have left. But it's too late now. He's gone."

Ezra stepped back and shook his head in denial. No. This wasn't supposed to happen. He had it all figured out. He and Josiah would arrange the surprise and Chris would talk to Vin. He couldn't be gone. But if he was then. . ."It's my fault."

"Now, Ezra. . . " Josiah reached out for his pupil but Ezra would not allow himself to be comforted.

"No! Don't you see? It was my idea; looking for elves, talking to Nettie and then making the surprise. Jaydee is right. We should have gone to Vin right from the start. And now. . . "

"It's not too late."

Everyone turned to stare at Chris who had re-sheathed his sword and was moving toward the door.

Buck stepped deliberately into his path. "Wait a minute, Chris. Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find Vin! What do you think...?"

"I know what you want to do. What I'm asking you is 'where' are you going to look? In case you haven't noticed it's dark out there now and from what I can see Vin must have left at least a candle mark ago."

Chris snarled and jerked his arm free of his friend's grip. "I know exactly when he left. Want me to tell you what happened?" The ranger looked around at the others and held up his leather gloves. "We all left, supposedly on different errands. Vin starts cleaning up and sees my gloves lying on the bench and thinks I must have forgotten them. He picks them up and heads for the trail he knows I'll take. I bet he ran to try and catch up with me. He drops the gloves when he falls and as he's getting back up he hears voices. Our voices. And he finds us all together laughing and talking when we were each supposed to be going a  
different way. We lied to him. We put him off. We shut him out of our plans. Whether or not he wanted to stay doesn't matter. We showed him that we didn't want him around." Chris glared at his friend. "And that's when he left."

"But that's not true!" Jaydee had fallen silent during Chris' story but his sobs quickly resumed. "I want him to stay! I don't care about the presents! I just want all of us to be together. Like a real family."

"We will be together, when I bring him back."

"Chris, wait." Josiah stepped forward and placed himself in front of the door. "Buck is right. It is dark and you don't know where to begin looking. Think for a moment. We all know that Vin is a survivor. He took care of Jaydee for almost two years. I'm sure he..."

"The cave." Chris interrupted the wizard and turned to Jaydee. "Do you think Vin might have gone back to the cave where you were living?"

"Yeah! We were talking about it this morning." The boy's face broke into a happy grin. "He must have gone there."

"So we'll look there first." Chris motioned toward the door. "We can get some lanterns from the barn and Jaydee can show us the way."

"Uh...I don't think I can find it in the dark." Jaydee shrugged his shoulders apologetically. "Vin can see real good at night so if we were out late he always took me by the hand and lead me to it. I know I could find it in the morning."

"C'mon, Chris," Buck rested his hand on the ranger's shoulder. "Vin took lots of supplies and like Josiah said, he's survived on his own before. He'll be fine this one night and we can head out first thing in the morning. We'll have him home in time for lunch."

Realizing he had no choice, Chris silently nodded his head in defeat. Clinching the gloves tightly in his fist, he turned and made his way back upstairs to his room.

Buck escorted Josiah and Ezra to the front door and bid them a good night. The two did not leave before promising to return just before dawn. Even Ezra did not hesitate to agree despite the early hour.

As the door closed behind them, Ezra turned to his mentor. "Do you really believe that Vin is all right? And will he come back tomorrow with Chris?"

Josiah paused to bring the crystal in his staff to glowing life before answering. "I think that Vin knows how to take care of himself. I think that if he made it safely to his cave then he is fine and will remain that way until we find him tomorrow. As to whether or not he returns, I believe that if any one can convince him that he is wanted here, that person is Chris."

* * *

A harsh cry pulled Vin's thoughts back from the day's trying events. Looking up, he spotted a large bird circling overhead. He smiled as he remembered the words to one of Josiah's short poems.

"They are winter crows,  
Sharp of beak and dark of wing,  
Calling for the snow."

Vin's smile faltered as he shifted his gaze from the bird to the clouds. Yes, there would be snow and perhaps it was not so far off as he had first thought. And he still had a ways to travel before he reached the safety of the cave.

Rising slowly to his feet, Vin looked once more to the rangers' house sitting near the woods. He wondered if Chris and the others had returned yet and discovered him gone. Were they relieved? Were they sitting around the table making more holiday plans, happy that they didn't have to worry about him overhearing or trying to join in?

Vin tried to turn, to look away but his body seemed as frozen as the ground. He struggled to find the anger that had given him strength before but all he found was a deep feeling of loneliness and sorrow. "I don't care." He tried speaking out loud, hoping that hearing the words would make them more believable. "I don't care about the decorations or the food. I don't want to listen to a Harper sing or to swap presents. Besides, I don't have anything to give Chris or the others even if I did stay. I can't buy gifts like Ezra and I'm not smart enough to make things like Jaydee. It's better that I'm leaving. And when I come back everything will be just like it was before." Except he knew in his heart it wouldn't be and all his words were lies.

Wiping a tear from his cheek, Vin finally broke down and spoke the truth in his heart. "I don't want to leave. I want to stay and be treated just like Jaydee and Ezra. I don't want to be half elven. I don't want to be different. I want. . . I want to stay. With Chris. And be human. And maybe then he would . . would.."

He couldn't say it. Not out loud. He didn't even dare finish the thought in his mind. It was asking too much. It was a dream that would never come true. Impossible. But his heart knew the truth and ached with the wanting of it.

Instead of anger it was finally despair that allowed him to look away from the ranger's house; the only place his heart considered home. Vin retrieved his pack and bow from where they rested at his feet and turned his back on the town below where already candles were being lit to fight off the encroaching darkness. He walked slowly away from the only family he knew and he could not say for sure if he would ever return.


	3. Half Is Better Than None 3

The path Vin followed was nothing more than a deer trail but his keen elven sight easily found it as the sun continued its downward journey. He entered a small meadow that he recognized from previous forays and knew he was over half way to the cave. The brittle yellow grass crunched beneath his boots as he angled across the widest portion of the clearing. The wind gusted and for a moment he was blinded by strands of hair that escaped from behind his ears. Vin paused to adjust his hood and jumped in surprise when he suddenly heard shouting.

"Yatin! Yatin!"

Spinning about, he spotted a figure running toward him from the left side of the field. Vin frowned in confusion at the strange words the man continued to yell while he ran and waved his arms.

"Yatin es amil, damick!"

Backing away warily, Vin spotted more movement from the direction he'd just come. Looking closer, he was shocked to see an enormous black boar approaching; its impossibly long tusks gleamed in the fading light as it paused and lifted its massive head. Steam from its nostrils filled the air as it scented the wind. Slowly its head lowered once more. Its tusks were aimed directly at Vin and a front hoof began pawing at the frozen ground. Suddenly, the stranger's words needed no translation.

"Yatin!"

Vin spun on his heels and sprinted for the forest edge, his pack of supplies and quiver of arrows thumping and banging against his back with every pounding step. Behind him he could hear the drumming beats of the boar's hooves as it drew closer and closer. There were still several yards to the nearest tree and no promise of a branch low enough for him to climb. Vin resisted the urge to look over his shoulder and concentrated on his running even though he knew with dreadful certainty that he was not going to make it.

"Nai!"

This time the stranger's cry came from right behind him, followed by a horrible, growling squeal and the sound of two bodies colliding. Vin tried to stop and wound up sliding on the dry grass. He came to rest on his belly facing back the way he'd just run and his eyes widened in shock. Picking themselves up from the ground were the boar and the stranger who had apparently tackled the beast, sending them both rolling across the ground.

Vin staggered to his feet and stood frozen with indecision. Should he run again? Should he try to help? Would his small arrows be any use against the enraged boar? He looked to his rescuer hoping for some clue as to what action he should take. In that brief moment of calm, Vin got a second shock as he noticed that the young man facing down the boar had pointed ears like an elf. But the long braid of hair that hung down his back was far too dark and coarse for that fair race.

A half-breed!

The half-elf was armed with a dagger and a thin sword; obviously designed for speed and agility. He kept his eyes on the boar as he backed slowly toward Vin.

"Cris da es lethen toh!?" Getting no immediate response, the swordsman glanced quickly in Vin's direction, his brow furrowed with concern.

Vin shook his head. "I don't understand."

At that moment the boar lunged toward the young man. The half-elf dodge nimbly out of the way but it was immediately obvious that the boar's attack had only been a feint. With a speed that belied its size, the beast swung its head about and charged at Vin.

"Nai!" The sword tip caught the beast across one cheek, just below a darkly gleaming eye. The boar jerked its body around and attacked the young man in earnest as Vin dodged back out of the way. Sharp tusks racked across the stranger's right calf but were deflected by his leather boots. Still, the force of the blow was enough to throw the swordsman off balance leaving him open for another strike.

Vin's heart pounded as he heard the cry of pain and saw the fresh blood on the half-elf's thigh. He knew he had to do something to help; he couldn't just run away. As if sensing his thoughts, the young man called out again, but this time in words that Vin could understand.

"What are you waiting for? Run for the trees! Yatin! Run!"

"But, you can't fight it alone!" Vin could see that the boar was getting ready to charge again. Frantically he dropped his pack and began stringing his bow.

"It's not me he's after! I can keep him distracted while you..."

Again the boar charged and once more the young man threw himself in its path. This time his sword sliced across its throat but not deep enough to kill. The boar twisted its body and slammed a heavy shoulder into the half-elf's legs, flinging him to the ground. Rather than follow up its attack, the enraged animal turned its attention back to its intended victim.

Vin had barely enough time to loose one arrow. His hasty shot struck one of the beast's tender ears. The boar squealed with rage and shook his head in an attempt to dislodge the wooden shaft. Vin used the time to take better aim and launched a second arrow that pierced the thick hide just below the animal's jowl. The red fletched arrows stood out starkly against the blackness of the beast's hide and appeared ridiculously small.

"Damick! Run!" The young half-elf had regained his footing and instead of waiting for the boar to attack, he lunged at the animal, sinking his dagger deep into its side. Amazingly, rather than pulling away from the blow, the creature leaned into the strike, snapping the blade off at the hilt. The youth was unprepared for the maneuver and was once more thrown to the ground, suffering a deep, ragged cut across his right hip.

Vin's third arrow imbedded itself in the animal's neck but he had no time for a fourth shot. With a horrible, ringing cry the boar charged the boy and this time there was no one to stand in its way. The older half-elf cried out in despair as he watched Vin's body fly through the air. The boar's tusks had taken him right across the stomach, lifting him up and flinging him back over its broad shoulders.

"Nai!" The half-elf gritted his teeth against the pain in his legs and hip as he pushed himself up from the ground.

Ignoring the swordsman, the boar walked stiffly over to its fallen prey. The animal lowered its head and sniffed at the boy's pale face.

"Nai! Trey rawin ist!" Gripping his sword tightly in a hand that shook with both pain and fatigue, the young man staggered forward. To his utter shock, the boar backed away from the child and began trotting off across the meadow, leaving his victim in a lifeless sprawl among the dry, winter grass.

* * *

"Nai." Dropping his sword, Danil fell to his knees beside the crumpled body that lay half covered by a dark cloak. "Oh leshil, nai." Pushing aside the thick cloak with trembling hands, the youth expected to find a gaping wound, flesh torn asunder by cruel, ripping tusks. Instead, his searching, tear-blurred gaze found a thick leather vest laced tightly about the slender waist. Deep gouges showed where the tusks had dug in but there was no trace of blood. Danil's feeling of relief was short-lived however as he realized that despite the lack of an open wound, the child was not breathing.

There was a time, Danil remembered, when he had fallen from a high branch in a tree. On his downward journey he had landed across another limb and the air had been driven from his lungs. When he'd finally come to rest on the ground he'd found it almost impossible to draw a breath. Perhaps the blow from the boar's tusks was having the same effect on this boy?

Not daring to actually move the lad for fear of hurting him further, the young half-elf gently patted the cold, pale cheeks and called out encouragingly; first in elven and then in human.

"Camin geh ramil. Wake up friend. No time to sleep. Wake up."

The blue tinged lips twitched and a soft cough broke the silence. The small chest heaved once followed by a louder, choking gasp and Danil suddenly found himself looking into a pair of sky-blue, panic filled eyes.

"Haei. Haei. Easy. You can do it. Just breathe."

"Who…wha…?"

"I am Danil Menderson." The older half-elf smiled reassuringly as he kept a comforting hand on the child's shoulder. "I think you just had the air knocked from your lungs but you should lie still until we know for sure."

Vin nodded his head as he continued to suck down large gulps of air. His stomach and head hurt but not unbearably so. He carefully began moving his arms and legs checking for additional aches and pains but all his limbs appeared to be intact.

"I'm…Vin. Tannerae. Thank you."

Danil waved away the thanks with a slight blush to his cheeks. "I am sorry I could not do better. My father says that what I lack in skill I make up for with luck. This time I think my luck ran a little slim. Do you think you can rise?"

With Danil's support Vin did manage to sit up but not without a stifled cry of pain.

"Your stomach? Do you need to lie down again?" Danil began to fear the possibility of an injury beneath the skin. His mother was something of a healer and he could recall her mentioning wounds that bled only on the inside.

"No." Vin moaned past gritted teeth. "My back."

"Ah, when you landed…"

But Vin shook his head. "No, not from this fall. It happened…months ago. The brace helps."

"I see. Still, if you need to rest…"

"What happened to that…that thing? Was it really a boar?"

Danil straightened up and looked around the meadow. The light was almost completely gone but he could make out enough to know that they were alone in the clearing. "I think it left after it checked to see if you were dead. And while it may have resembled something like a boar, it certainly did not act like one." Danil peered closely into Vin's eyes. "So tell me, what have you done to rile a sorcerer?"

"A sorcerer? The only one I know uses crystals. I don't think he could control an animal. And he wouldn't try to hurt me." Of that he had no doubt.

"Then perhaps it was a mistake? Or mischance that put you in its path? Either way, I think we should find shelter for the night, preferably someplace that is proof against animals, magical or otherwise." Danil glanced around once more. "You live near here, with your family? We are close to Four Corners, yes? You could lead the way back?"

Vin shifted, testing the pull of muscles in his back and stomach while he debated on the best way to answer. Finally he decided on telling a partial the truth. "Town's about two marks away but there's a woodcutter's shack just through those trees over there. I think that's about as far as I can travel tonight."

An awkward moment of silence followed his words. Finally Danil gave a small sigh and nodded his head in agreement. "A wise choice. Do you think you might be able to stand on your own?"

It hurt but Vin did manage to climb to his feet. He stood hunched over with his arms wrapped around his aching stomach and waited for Danil to join him. But the older half-elf remained seated on the cold ground.

"I…ah…may need your help."

Vin stared at the young man and the way he was leaning on his left hip with his right leg stretched out beside him. Suddenly he remembered the details of the battle. "The boar hurt you too!"

"Heh. Nothing more than a nasty scratch." Danil gasped as he shifted his leg preparing to stand. "Perhaps… a little deeper than a scratch but nothing to panic over."

It took a few moments of clumsy pulling and shifting with shared moans and groans but finally they were both standing, leaning into each other for mutual support.

"Yes, I think spending the night at the nearby shack is a very good idea."

* * *

Danil pulled the last of his supplies from his leather pack and set the bag aside. Looking at the selection arrayed before the fire, he had to smile ruefully. His mother's hand was very apparent in the rolls of bandages, tin of salve, sachet of medicinal herbs and bottle of tonic water. Oh, how well Lauren knew her only son.

"The water is hot. What can I do to help?" Vin placed the steaming pan on the floor within easy reach of the older boy.

"I should remove my pants first. It will make cleaning the cuts easier and I have another pair that I can change into. For the place on my thigh, I can wrap a bandage but for my hip I will simply make a pad and let my trousers hold it in place."

The wounds were ugly, rough gashes in the pale flesh. Though neither one was terribly deep, they both bled freely as Danil washed them clean. He was finally forced to lean back and allow Vin to apply the thick salve because his own hands had begun to shake from reaction to the pain as well as the earlier exertions. He clinched his jaw to hold back his cries but he couldn't stop a few tears that ran down his cheeks.

"Some…brave…rescuer…I turned out…to be."

"Chris says that tears are not a sign of weakness; that even the most courageous fighter might cry from nothing more than a splinter. Depending on where it sticks." Vin finished applying the ointment to the deepest gouge and quickly pressed a bandage over it. "I think you're very brave. If not for you, I think…I think that boar would have…killed me."

"Ah well, you showed no lack of courage yourself." Once more Danil blushingly tried to shrug off his act of heroism. "At least I had a sword when I tackled that beast. Skilled archer though you are, those small arrows are best suited for rabbits and quail. You should have run when I told you to."

Vin wiped his fingers clean on a scrap of bandage and frowned in concentration. "Those words you yelled, yatin and damick? Yatin means run, yes? What does damick mean?"

Danil's cheeks became a darker shade of red and he avoided meeting Vin's eyes as he stammered out a reply while pulling on his spare pair of breeches. "Well, you were just standing there and…and the boar was getting ready to charge…and…well…I called you…" his voice faded to a whisper as he finished, "a dumb ass."

For a long moment the only sound in the cozy, wooden shack was the hiss and pop of the fire burning brightly in the grate. The tense silence was suddenly broken by a small chuckle. Danil looked up and was surprised to see a wide grin on his young companion's face.

"Really? That's what it means?"

"Ah, yes?"

The chuckle turned into an outright laugh of delight. "Can you teach me more words like that?"

Danil finally caught on and started to laugh as well. "I suppose I might have a few more that I could share; provided you don't tell your parents where you learned them."

Vin's mood sobered quickly. He looked into Danil's gray eyes and felt an overwhelming urge to tell him everything. Long years of secrecy, confusion and doubt were catching up to him and the evening's dangerous encounter had left him emotionally vulnerable. It might have been he saw something in Danil's eyes that gave him hope, the possibility of at last having found a kindred spirit; or maybe it was just the need to talk to someone that did not know him and so may not be quick to judge.

"My mother was human. She died a few years ago. I've never met my father. I don't know anything about elves."

Danil blinked and then slowly nodded his head. "You live with your mother's people? In the town of Four Corners?"

"No. My aunt died soon after my mother. I live with my younger cousin Jaydee and two rangers, Chris and Buck. They took us in after…a battle."

Another moment of silence passed and again Danil questioned, "Your cousin, he is half, like yourself?"

"No. He is all human." Vin ducked his head to hide his expression but he could do nothing to conceal the bitterness in his voice.

"Ah. They do not treat you…as equal, these humans?"

"Everything was fine, until now."

Danil frowned in confusion. "Something has happened?"

"It's time for the mid-winter festival." And suddenly it all came pouring out like a flooded river braking through an overstressed dam. The words tumbled forth in a torrent that surged and ebbed with emotions ranging from sorrow and despair to anger and fear. Danil sat quietly throughout the telling; his open arms a safe harbor to which Vin eventually found himself drawn as his story finally reached its bitter conclusion. "And… and so I packed some food and…and I left."

Danil held the younger boy, silently offering what comfort he could with the warmth of his embrace.

"I was going to go back…after it was over…but now…now they may not… want me…and that means I don't…don't have anyone…"

"Shhh now. We both know that isn't true. While I may not speak for those I have not met, I am very certain of my own feelings and here you have found a friend, should you care to accept."

"But you…don't know me."

"I know enough. I know that you are brave. I know that you are kind and have a noble heart. I know that you have suffered and endured much in your life, more than any person should. And while I do not know the hearts of these men that have given you shelter, I do know that of my father and should we but ask, he would gladly welcome you into our home as kin."

Vin pulled back and stared at his new 'friend'. "Really? He would do that for you?"

"Not for me; he would welcome you for the joy that it would bring to our family." Danil tugged the cuff of one sleeve over his hand and used it wipe the tears from Vin's face. "Now, you might be wondering just what kind of parents send off their only son to fight be-spelled boars in the middle of the winter. And since you have shared something of your life with me, it is only fitting that I return the favor. But perhaps my story could wait until after we have had some dinner? Ambyr? Agreed?"

Sitting back on his heels, Vin tucked his hair behind his ears, grinning as he nodded his head and tried out the new word. "Ambyr. And will you teach me more words in elvish?"

"Las brin. Of course."

* * *

The food was simple but good. From Vin's supplies they had cheese and bread. Danil's contribution was the well-cooked remains of a rabbit that he'd caught for lunch. The town woodcutter kept his shack in good repair and the ample supply of firewood allowed them to have a large fire, which kept the small building nicely warm. Reclined on their pallets in front of the hearth, Vin and Danil ate their dinner in a companionable silence, each one lost in memories of home and family.

As he finished the last bite of his meal, Vin's wandering gaze fell on the scarred vest lying beside his blanket. An uncontrollable shudder coursed through his body and the muscles in his stomach and back drew up painfully tight. He gritted his teeth as the sudden discomfort forced him to shift position, drawing the attention of his new friend.

"Ah, my mother is correct; I have the wits of a sparkfly. Fill your cup with some hot water and I will make for you a drink that should ease your aches. Sorry to say I have no honey to sweeten it but the relief is worth the taste."

"Is this something your mother makes? Is she an herbalist or a healer?" Vin handed over his steaming mug and watched as Danil sprinkled in a pinch of fine powder then stirred the mixture with a broken twig.

"Yes to both. She has the elven Gift of healing, which is different from that of humans. She helps people to use their own energy for healing. Sometimes it is necessary to administer pain–ease or drinks of wakefulness to allow the healing to take place. However, unlike the human healers who can only tend to injuries of flesh and bone, she can also encourage the body to throw off sicknesses that infect the blood."

Vin couldn't help the pang of jealousy as he listened to Danil talk of his mother; his voice filled with love and respect. Vin sipped at his drink hoping to hide the unhappy frown behind his cup but observant, gray eyes had already taken note of his expression.

"I have upset you. I am sorry. Perhaps it would be best if I did not speak of my family."

"No. I want to hear." Vin scowled into his mug. "I just can't help wishing…" His words trailed off and Danil finished his sentence.

"That your mother still lived?" A silent nod was his only answer. "It is not fair."

Vin jerked his head up in surprise at hearing his silent thought spoken allowed. "That's … that's right. It's not fair. Why did my mother have to die? Why didn't someone help her? Where was… why didn't my father come? If he loved her, why did he leave? Was it… because of me?"

There, it was asked; the question that had haunted him since his mother's death. Was it his birth that had driven his elven father from her side? Was it his presence that had turned the town against her, leaving her alone and helpless? Was he to blame? Was it all his fault?

"Ah, kerish beyen. I have no answers for these questions. I can only speak of the present and what I may dream of the future. I have already spoken once of what I know of you but perhaps you did not truly believe or understand." Danil pushed himself upright until his back was resting against the wall opposite Vin's pallet. Taking a moment to brush a straggling lock of dark hair from his eyes, he chose his words carefully and kept his gaze locked on the younger half-elf.

"I See before me a child that strives to do and say what is right and good. To please those he cares for and to be, in all ways an honor to his mother's spirit. I See a heart burdened with doubt and worry but not weighed down so low that all hope is lost. There is much love and honor. Respect for those deserving of it and the strength to defend those you hold most dear. Honest, yes. And bold. Clever. Perhaps something of a dreamer but…"

"Wait! You don't know me! We just met! How can you…?"

Danil held up a calming hand to still the outburst of denial. "Please, kerish beyen, let me explain. Healing is not the only Gift claimed by the elves. The ability to truly See a person is perhaps not as strong in myself as it would be in a full blood but I do not speak lies. Trust me, I can See you."

Vin stared at his friend in shock. The tense silence stretched for a long moment until Danil finally grinned and gave a small laugh.

"Oh, if only my sisters would hold me in such awe. Perhaps then I could get a word or two in before being falsely accused of misdeeds."

His cheer was contagious and Vin smiled as he finally accepted Danil's words and felt his dark mood lighten. "Falsely accused?

"Mostly. Sometimes." Danil wavered and finally shrugged his shoulders and sheepishly admitted. "Once. It was my laes beyen that placed the toad in Margrey's sewing basket, not I. Understand please, Margrey is no faint spirit to cry over the presence of a mere frog, no matter how large and lumpy. It was the unexpected amount of…ah…moisture which stained the material that drew her wrath."

"Your 'beyen'?"

"My laes beyen. My heart brother. Cais and I were not born to the same parents but we grew up as close as true brothers." Danil's grey eyes darkened and he blinked as if caught off guard by an unpleasant thought or memory. Vin did not notice the slight change in his expression and asked another question.

"But you called me, uhm…"

"Kerish beyen. Little brother. And so you could be, if you liked."

A brother. Sisters. Mother. Father. A real family.

Chris. Jaydee. Buck. Ezra. Josiah. Nathan. Nettie.

"I…. thank you but… I need to think…"

"Of course. We are in no great hurry. Tomorrow we will make our way to Four Corners where my aunt will make us welcome. We can stay just long enough for me to see a healer and then leave again if you wish. I had thought to experience the mid-winter festival for myself but from what you have said, perhaps it would not be such a great thing."

"You have an aunt that lives in town? Elf or human?"

"Human, or so my father tells me. I am not exactly clear on who partnered with which family member but I have been assured that she is a lady of some wealth and will welcome a visit from kin."

'A lady of some wealth?' Could it be? "Did your father tell you her name?"

"Well, he gave me her family name as he recalled it from her relation who joined his family. Her first name is Maude and her estate is that of Standish."

* * *

Vin's eyes grew large as he stared at Danil and tried to imagine Maude Standish welcoming her half-elven nephew with joy and open arms. No. He just couldn't picture it. And then he thought of Ezra's expression when he learned that he too had a cousin that was a half-breed. This time he had a clear image and he grinned.

"Ah, I have said something that you find amusing. You will perhaps share this thought so that I may enjoy it as well?"

"I know your aunt and her son, Ezra. He's a friend of mine. He's learning to be a sorcerer."

"Truly? Then twice well met. You already know some of my family."

"Tell me more, please. And you still owe me the story of how you came to be in that meadow at just the right time."

"So I do and so I shall." Danil slowly eased himself back down to his blanket, careful to avoid jarring his injured leg. Once settled, he rested his head on his folded arms and began his tale. He kept his words simple and the descriptions brief but Vin had no trouble picturing his family and their home. The vision filled Vin's heart with a longing that brought him almost to the point of tears. But every time he felt the ache grow too strong, Danil would suddenly relate some escapade or foolishness that would have him laughing out loud.

"And I'm not sure who was more surprised, my father, the bear or the skunk. But I can tell you who left the field victorious."

Vin wiped the tears of laughter from his cheeks with one hand while cradling his aching stomach with his other. "That… gasp… really happened?"

"I swear on my Gift, it happened just as I said."

"Did you and Cais get away with the honey?"

"Not as cleanly as we would have liked. After all that work, it was Cais' younger brother that stumbled across us with the remains of the comb and ran to his mother with the story. Between his parents and mine, I thought we'd spend the rest of our youth as indentured servants."

"I wish I could meet Cais. Why didn't he come with you to the festival?"

"Ah, well…that is… another story." Danil's glibness seemed to desert him between one breath and the next. He turned his attention to the fire and stared at it for a long moment before speaking again. "And since it is the story of why I am here, I suppose now is the time for it."

Sensing that it was not a happy tale, Vin offered to let the request go. "You don't have to tell me, if you don't want to. It's not really important."

Danil sighed and closed his eyes. "The telling is not the problem. I am afraid it is the ending that is still in question. You see, this summer Cais met Annelle; who is, by all outward appearances a very nice, full-blooded elven girl. They became very close very quickly. And I…" Danil sighed again, "And I became very jealous. Suddenly my brother had no time for games of adventure and idle pleasantries. Everything was Annelle this and Annelle that. And she had friends of her own that were… not so welcoming of half-breeds and did not think it proper for her chosen to consort with the like. On more than one occasion I had rough encounters with them when Cais was not present."

"Did you talk to him? Tell him what was happening? How you felt?"

"Oh, I talked to him alright but not about the fights or how I felt." Danil turned his head so that he could meet Vin's concerned gaze. "I spied on them, Cais and Annelle, when they thought themselves alone and I used my Gift. Or I suppose I should be honest and say I misused my Gift. Cais was just as I had always known him but Annelle…was not as lovely on the inside as she was on the outside."

"And you told Cais what you Saw?"

"Oh yes, in great and exacting detail using words that were probably… most certainly, far more cruel than necessary. Cais was… upset. Understandably so. But I was too caught up in my righteous cause to notice that his anger was at me and not at the girl that falsely claimed to love him."

"What happened? Did he hit you?"

"Ah, if only he had. No, I was the one that changed the attack from words to fists. After I had finished describing all of Annelle's faults and failings, Cais rightfully accused me of being jealous and behaving in a childish manner. He demanded that I tell her what I had done and apologize for my ill behavior. I called him a love struck fool with the brains of a sparkfly and he responded by pointing out my half-breed origins. It was then that I struck him down. I don't know what hurt more at that moment, my fist or my heart. He simply sat there on the ground, looking up at me; his eyes filled with surprise and disappointment."

Danil swallowed and looked back to the fire. "All the anger and jealousy left me in that moment and I reached out my hand to help him up while at the same time stammering out my apologies. He simply stared at me and when I stopped talking he said… he said that on the Night of Remembering he and Annelle were going to exchange promises and that I would not be welcome at the ceremony."

"And that's when you left to come here?"

"The very next morning. I confessed everything to my parents and they both agreed that a short journey would do me good. Alone I would have time to reflect on my mistakes and consider how I might have handled things differently."

"And have you?"

Danil gave a small laugh that held very little mirth. "Oh yes. Three days of walking alone in the cold is very good for thinking. The first day I spent justifying all of my actions and laying all the blame at the feet of Annelle and Cais. At the end of the second day I finally realized that I was not the victim and that I had let jealousy get the best of me. I spent today planning what I would say to both Cais and Annelle in way of apology when I return." Danil paused and glanced over at Vin, the beginnings of a smile on his lips. "I just about had my speech all worked out when I spotted you being stalked by that demon boar. Now I shall have to start all over again."

Vin felt sorry for his new friend but he also felt it necessary to mention a key point. "Well, I'm glad you are here, no matter what the cause behind it because without you, I think that boar would have killed me. And I'm sure things will work out for you and Cais; though I don't think you should have to apologize to Annelle. Not if she and her friends are as bad as you say. That just doesn't seem fair."

Danil lifted a hand and then let it drop limply to his chest. "I mostly agree with you but Cais is more important than my hurt feelings. If being with this girl makes him happy than who am I to stand in his way? And perhaps I did not See as clearly as I should have. Maybe I Saw only what I wanted to?"

To that question Vin had no answer and decided that it was time to change the subject. "What is the Night of Remembering?"

"It is just that, a night elves devote to remembering all those that have taken their Final Journey and the One Great Journey that brought our ancestors here to the land of humans. Ah, but I see from your look of confusion that more details are wanting."

Danil pushed himself erect once more and when Vin began to protest the need he shook his head. "Some stories must be told with a certain amount of respect and my meager skills need all the help they can get."

"I think you're a great story teller."

Tipping his head, Danil grinned impishly. "My mother would agree with you but not in so positive a manner." Once he was settled Danil took a sip of the medicinal water from his cup, grimacing at the bitter taste. "And now I will give you the short version since we do need to sleep at some point tonight."

* * *

Many generations ago the elves lived in a country that was always warm and always green. To find the smallest bit of snow one would have to travel to the highest mountain peaks. The valleys and forest were filled with life and the ocean was clear and calm. The elves traveled freely across the land with no walls or borders to dived one tribe from another.

One bright and glorious day, a great thunderstorm arose without warning. Clouds black as night boiled up from the horizon and huge bolts of lightening arced across the sky. The wind howled, tearing limbs from the mightiest trees and ripped entire saplings from the ground. The waves of the ocean rose to heights unheard of and crashed against the shore with a roar that rivaled the thunder from the sky. The sun was swallowed by darkness and many thought the end of the world was upon them as the wind tore relentlessly across the land.

Many elves took shelter in caves and the deepest valleys, holding unto loved ones and praying to the blessed Tahlla for deliverance. A few braver souls clung to rocks along the shore to stare into the heart of the storm, searching for answers and hope. Krelen D'Sere was the first to spot the bone-white sails of the great ships that emerged from the darkness. The vessels glowed with an unnatural light and the ocean boiled in the wake of their passing.

Krelen's sire knew trouble when he saw it and sent his only son to gather those he could find and flee inland, away from the approaching ships and whatever evil they carried. So it was that Krelen did not see the death of his father and those that stood with him to face the invading force from across the sea.

Krelen led as many as he could high into the mountains where they found shelter but little in the way of food. The storm clouds left within a day but their darkness was replaced by great billows of grey smoke from the fires that razed the land. Krelen's people watched the land blacken and grieved for their lost friends and kin. They were without hope and many sickened with despair.

In the days that followed, survivors of the invasion found their way into the mountains and the stories they brought caused many to faint with horror. The crews of the ships called themselves the Rasgenfel and they came from a country where all was ice and barren waste. Their skin was so white that at times it looked blue and their hair was the palest of blond. But the worst, the worst of all were the solid black eyes that reflected no light and held no mercy.

Five ships filled with Rasgenfel lay anchored off shore with no intention of sailing again until every elf was either slain or taken prisoner. Those slain were first tortured and raped; age and sex making no difference to the blood-lust of the Rasgenfel. Those taken prisoner were forced to serve their captors in ways that caused many to seek death at their own hands rather than remain captive.

One night Krelen went apart from his people to pray to Tahlla for guidance. As he knelt in prayer, three Rasgenfel suddenly appeared in front of him. Two held long, wicked daggers while the third carried a length of stout rope. They grinned and laughed as they circled Krelen and it was obvious they intended to capture him alive. Defenseless and alone, in desperation Krelen called upon his only defense.

Ever since he had been a babe upon his father's knee, Krelen could call animals to his side and tame them with just a glance. As he'd grown older, his Gift had grown stronger though he'd never had much call to use it, other than to calm an angry bear or coax a timid rabbit out for a moment of petting. He'd never thought to use it on a man; in fact he didn't even know that such a thing was possible but instinct drove him to fight using whatever means available.

When Krelen returned to his tribe late the next day, he was accompanied by the three Rasgenfel whose minds had been wiped clean of all self-thought and awareness. They did not move or speak unless commanded by Krelen. Nor did they eat or care for themselves in anyway that required actual thought. Their spirits were gone, burned from their hearts by the power of Krelen's Gift. Hope returned to the tribe of survivors and in the days that followed, plans were carefully laid.

The elves knew that they could not drive the Rasgenfel from their land; they were not trained warriors and they lacked proper weapons. As much as it grieved them, they knew that their only choice was to abandon the country of their birth and with the mountains behind them; their only path lay through the enemy and across the very oceans that had delivered the evil to their shores.

Krelen developed his Gift and used it to not only control the minds of the Rasgenfel but to also learn their language and knowledge of sailing. He also discovered their use of dark magic to control the winds that filled the sails of their massive raiding ships.

Danil stopped talking long enough to take another drink and shift his position. "There are many stories of the events that unfolded during the preparations for the Great Journey. Raids. Small skirmishes. Setbacks and the like. But as I said before, we need our sleep so I will leave those for another day. Krelen was a natural leader and devoted to saving his people. He drove himself and his followers unmercifully because he knew that time was against them. More and more of the Rasgenfel were venturing into the mountains and soon those left at the camps would begin to notice the missing warriors.

Finally the night came when they could do no more; it was time to leave their home. Using stealth and trickery they passed through and around the enemy camps making as straight a path as possible for the shore. They freed as many prisoners as they dared but had to leave most of their people behind. Krelen and a handful of his bravest men made one necessary detour to remove the threat of the Rasgenfel wizard. That mission turned out to be the easiest of them all. They caught the foul beast with his robes hiked up around his hips, raping a poor girl that had recently been captured.

His death came far too swiftly but there was no time for revenge. Taking the girl, whose name was Cenary, the party made haste to rejoin the rest of their people waiting along the shore.

Thanks to the overconfidence and laziness of the Rasgenfel, Krelen was able to safely remove the scant crews of two of the ships and fill them with his own people. The steering controls of the other three vessels were sabotaged to delay pursuit and Krelen's people lifted anchor just as the first light of a new day broke over the horizon.

As they watched the land of their birth dwindle and finally disappear, tears of grief flowed across the deck of the ship. They knew the horrors they had left their family and friends to endure. The Rasgenfel were sure to be enraged and would take their anger out on their prisoners. Krelen and his followers prayed that Tahlla would make their suffering as brief as possible.

That first day aboard the ships, little thought was given to where the wind was taking them. Sailing was a new experience for the elves and one that required a great deal of effort. Many discovered that the rocking motion of the vessel made them sick and were unable to do more than lie about with their heads near buckets or the edge of the deck. When night fell at last and the sails were reefed, all but Krelen dropped into an exhausted slumber.

Krelen knew that their food and water was limited and that there were dangers yet to be faced upon the open sea. They needed a direction, a set course on which to sail. Sitting in the prow of the ship, he prayed to Tahlla once more for guidance. Looking to the star filled sky, he suddenly spotted a light moving against the darkness. It was an amazing sight and Krelen knew it for his answer. He roused others to witness the miracle while marking its course carefully to the other stars around it. Using lanterns they sailed at night, following the path set for them by the lights above.

It was a journey of many days and nights and not all survived. Some sickened and died while others found the guilt of escaping too heavy to bear and gave themselves to the sea. And as the supply of water dwindled with still no land in sight, some of the older elves sacrificed themselves as well so that the younger might have a better chance of survival.

When at last the ships came to this country, the remaining elves were too weary and heart sick to celebrate. Not knowing what new evils might await them and past the point of caring, they beached the ships and left them behind without a backwards glance.

* * *

"Of course the survivors eventually encountered humans who took word to their king who was luckily a kind and generous man. He granted the elves land to call their own and commanded his people to allow them to live in peace."

Vin blinked in surprise at the abrupt ending to the story. "But… what happened to Krelen? And the Rasgenfel? And… and what has this got to do with the Night of Remembering?"

Danil smiled as he settled back down on his pallet. "The Rasgenfel no doubt eventually returned to their own country where hopefully they remain to this day. Krelen and Cenary exchanged promises here in the new land and had many, many children."

"As for the Night of Remembering, that is the night that we set aside to honor the stars that guided the ships, to remember those that lost their lives in that darkest time and to pray for those that might still live in a distant land. We hang hundreds of candles in the leafless winter trees and line the forest paths with lights. If you string a hammock from the highest limbs you can imagine that you are actually sailing in a boat among the stars. And if you look out to the lake you can see candles set adrift upon the waters, one for every loved one that has taken the final journey." Danil sighed heavily. "Many, many candles drift upon the waters and each one carries a name."

Danil closed his eyes as he spoke but still a single tear slid down his cheek. "This… this will be the first time since Cais and I became brothers that we do not spend the Night together.

Vin felt his own eyes fill with tears as he stretched out on his blanket. "Danil… thank you for telling me about your people. And… I'm sorry about you and Cais but I'm really glad you're here with me tonight."

Danil smiled. "And at this moment I could wish to be nowhere else. Now, to sleep. The morning will be here before we like and unless I am mistaken, our walk will be made doubly fun by the addition of snow."

Vin obediently closed his eyes but he had one last question to ask. "What is the word for 'big'?"

"Tast."

"Sleep well, tast beyen."

"Ah, sleep well little brother."


	4. Half Is Better Than None 4

Jaydee shifted his cold feet in the snow and tried not to notice Chris' angry pacing off to the side. He knew he had gotten the last marker right, he was positive. Well, pretty sure. Maybe. Now Buck was talking to Chris, trying to calm his friend down and get him to be a little more patient. Jaydee sniffed and blamed his runny nose on the cold; the same cold that was making his eyes sting and water.

Snow crunched behind him and Jaydee felt a large, comforting hand squeeze his shoulder. He looked up to see Nathan's dark face smiling down at him.

"You're doing fine Jaydee. Just take your time and we'll back track again if we need to."

Jaydee sighed. "It's the snow Nathan. I know there ain't much of it but things just look so different. When we lived in the cave, we didn't have warm cloaks so Vin made me stay inside when it snowed. I've never seen the trail like this. I'm sure that last fallen oak tree was the right one but …."

Nathan's hand rubbed across the boy's shoulders. "Easy Jaydee. Just take a moment to think. What marker should we be looking for next? Maybe we can help you find it."

"But that's just it! There's not another marker until after the meadow." Jaydee looked up at Nathan and the desperation was plain in his voice and on his face. "There's supposed to be a really big meadow! How can I miss a big hole in the forest? I must have gotten the wrong tree."

Nathan looked up and caught Buck's eye making sure he'd heard. The dark haired fighter nodded and turned to Chris who was standing with his eyes closed, obviously picturing the terrain in his mind. Glancing around, the healer caught sight of the last two members of their hunting party and he couldn't help the broad grin that curled his lips. It was obvious that the only thing keeping Ezra on his feet was Josiah's hand beneath his arm. If Nathan didn't know better, he'd swear that the boy had been walking in his sleep the entire morning.

"This way." Chris' voice cut through the silence as he started marching in a direction just slightly off from where Jaydee had been headed. The others fell in behind the mercenary without a word. The three adults trusted his knowledge and didn't even think about questioning his choice of direction. Jaydee was relieved to have the burden of leadership taken off his shoulders even if only temporarily, while Ezra seemed to be totally oblivious to the world around him.

Chris gritted his teeth as he stalked through the trees. Delays. Nothing but delays all morning. First Buck had insisted that they wait for Josiah and Ezra, then Jaydee couldn't find one of his gloves. How the Pits had it gotten in the pantry? Nathan had insisted on dosing them all with some vile concoction given to him by Mistress Nettie that had to be heated first. Of course. And then just when he thought they were finally on their way and nothing else could go wrong, Jaydee had announced that he'd never followed the path when there was snow on the ground.

So here they were, the morning half gone… well, one third gone, and he had no idea if they were anywhere near the cave. At least Jaydee had kept them heading up hill. Chris felt his cheeks burn with a hint of shame as he thought about the boy. He'd have to apologize to him after it was all over. When they found Vin. If they found Vin. The snow covered any traces he might have left and would make it difficult for even hound dogs to track him. Not that he had seriously considered using dogs. Not seriously.

Chris jerked to a sudden stop as he took note of a strange sound. Or rather, the lack of a sound. Behind him the others stumbled to a halt and looked around in confusion. Buck's instincts told him to remain silent and he quickly waived the others to stillness. He'd seen that look of concentration before and it never boded well.

"Buck, what do you hear?"

"Well, I think that sawing noise is Ezra snoring… other than that, nothing."

"No birds? No squirrels?"

"Now that you mention it, no. Nary a peep. What do you think…?"

This time it was Chris that lifted his hand for silence as he cocked his head to one side. Was that someone shouting? A cold chill ran down his spine and a sudden sense of foreboding started him jogging through the trees. He didn't have to look back to know the others were following him. He could hear the crunch of the snow beneath their boots and rustle of their clothing; all the sounds seemingly magnified in the unnatural stillness of the forest.

* * *

"Will your thoughts need a silver for the boat ride home?"

Vin blinked and focused his eyes on his companion. "What?"

"You had the look of one whose thoughts were a long way from your body."

"Oh."

"Want to share?" Danil spoke while using his knife to carefully peel the bark from a branch he planned to use as a walking stick. He knew that he'd need the support if he was going to make it to Four Corners on his own, especially through the snow. As the morning had progressed, he'd noticed Vin becoming more and more withdrawn, which could only mean that he was having doubts about returning to the town. "Most burdens are made lighter with two pairs of shoulders."

Vin frowned as he finished packing his kit. No, he didn't really want to talk about what he was thinking but Danil needed to see a healer, which meant he had to go to Four Corners. And the only healer in town was Nathan, who was a good friend of Chris and who probably knew by now that Vin had left. Would he care? Did any of them? What kind of reception would he get if he saw them in town? Smiles? Frowns?

"When I was just a few years older than you, I had a run in with a group of young full-bloods who took it upon themselves to point out how ugly I was and how no girl, elf or human would ever exchange promises with me."

"Ugly?" Vin found the sudden change in topics strange but also a relief and he studied his companion trying to find something wrong with his face.

"Oh yes. Hideous. My chin is too square. My eyes are too round. My hair is coarse and this awful reddish brown color. And all of these features I got from my father. My 'human' father."

"What did you do?"

"I put on a brave appearance of not caring until I was out of their sight and then I ran all the way back to my house where I confronted my mother. After all, it was her fault that she had married a human and not a fine, upstanding full-blooded elf."

Vin's eyes widened in shock. "What happened?"

"She put me to work chopping wood."

Vin's mouth fell open. "She punished you?"

Danil smiled. "So it appeared to me as well. But I did as commanded and chopped wood until my shirt clung to my wet skin and the muscles in my arms were protesting every lift of the ax. As you might have guessed, my anger had calmed quite a bit by the time my mother appeared with two cups in her hands. I was ready to apologize but before I could speak, she held out the cups and offered me my choice. One of them was completely empty and the other was only half filled with water. Naturally I chose the one with water in it."

"Why did she offer you an empty cup?"

"Actually, the question my mother asked me was, 'Why did you take the cup that was only half filled?' And I answered, 'Because half is better than none.' And then my mother smiled and gave me a hug and said that while I was stacking the wood, I should think about what my life might be like if I had been born all human."

In the silence that followed Vin thought about his own situation, so similar and yet so different from Danil's. Where as Danil might have once wished to be a full elf, Vin had wanted to be nothing more than human. But what if he had been born to a pair of elven parents? Well, he wouldn't have Jaydee as a cousin for one thing. And if Jaydee wasn't his cousin, he wouldn't have had to live in a cave or fight in a real war. And he wouldn't have met Chris or Buck or Ezra or any of the others. And being away from them for just one night had made Vin realize that he didn't want to lose them, that he'd be willing to endure the holiday if he could have them the rest of the year.

"So… your mother was telling you that you should be happy that at least one of your parents was an elf because otherwise you'd be a full human and you wouldn't know the same people or have the same family."

"Either that or she had found a very cleaver way of getting enough firewood to last for the winter." Shrugging his shoulders, Danil grinned and laid his knife aside. "There, that should do just fine. Help me up and I'll check it for length."

Vin hesitated before rising slowly to his feet. The muscles in his stomach protested even that simple a movement and that was from just one strike of the boar. Danil's legs had taken multiple hits and Vin didn't think that walking was such a good idea. "Are you sure? You could stay here while I bring back help."

"And do what? Tell myself stories all morning? No thanks, I've heard them all before." Danil smiled to take the sting from his words. "I'm fine little brother; a few bruises and a couple of scrapes. I may walk like an old man but I can at least walk."

As he struggled to his feet, Danil bit his lower lip and did manage to keep from crying out but he could do nothing about the loss of color to his cheeks which Vin noticed immediately.

"Danil, I really think…"

"Ah, now see that's the problem. Far too much thinking. More action, that's what's called for." Danil leaned heavily on his staff and managed to take a few, staggering steps across the shack. Breathlessly he turned to smile triumphantly at his young companion. "There. See? No problem."

Vin scowled and threw his hands up in the air. "Oh sure. No problem. At that pace you should reach Four Corners sometime tomorrow morning."

Now it was Danil's turn to frown as he forced his right leg to move and support his weight. "I'm just stiff from having slept so long in one position. And on a hard floor as well. I merely need a chance to limber up."

Seeing that there was no way he could win the argument, Vin snatched up his pack as well as Danil's and stalked to the door. "Fine. We'll both go. But I'm carrying this."

Vin yanked the door of the shack open and then stood back with a stubborn lift of his chin. Danil merely grinned as he hobbled over. Just before stepping across the threshold, he reached over and playfully scrubbed his hand across the top of Vin's head. "Uppity little half-breed, aren't you?"

* * *

"Was the meadow… this wide… when we first … crossed it?"

"Yes, but there wasn't any snow yesterday."

"Ah, yes. That would … explain it."

Danil paused to wrap both hands around his staff and lean heavily against its support. The ache in the shin bones of his legs was actually bearable compared to the fire that burned in his right hip. He knew that it was bleeding again because he could feel a small trickle of blood working its way down his leg and into his boot. He didn't say anything to Vin because he did not want to worry his young friend. Well, better to say he did not want to add to his worries.

"We're almost to the trees. There will probably be a log or stump that you can sit on to rest. Or we could turn back…."

"No. No turning back. Just… give me a moment." That was all he needed. Just a moment to catch his breath. Just a moment to take control of the pain. Just a moment to find his balance so that he wouldn't topple face down into the snow with his next step.

Vin frowned and shifted the two packs on his shoulders. Neither was very heavy but their combined weight was starting to aggravate his weak back. Still, his slight aches and pains were nothing compared to what Danil was enduring so he didn't even consider complaining. Taking a moment to look around, a spot of movement at the far edge of the field caught his attention. Squinting his eyes against the glare of the white snow, Vin studied the approaching figure with growing alarm.

"Da…Danil." His voice came out in a harsh gasp as he lifted a shaking hand to point across the meadow. "It's…it's back."

Danil's felt his heart lurch with an icy bolt of fear. Whipping his head around, he too spotted the slowly moving blot of evil that was coming across the snow. "Iey cojillium! And no, I won't translate that. Vin, get to the trees. Find one you can climb. The limb doesn't have to be far off the ground but make sure it's sturdy. Hurry! Go!"

* * *

It couldn't be happening. Not again. Vin took one step back and then another, his eyes never leaving the approaching boar.

Danil turned his body and braced himself with his weight on his left leg and his walking stick in his left hand for balance. He drew his sword though he knew how useless it would be if the boar attacked. Looking over his shoulder he saw that Vin had barely moved. Glancing quickly at the steadily approaching animal, he hissed in frustration.

"Drop the packs and run! I can't fight it this time! Vin! Listen to me! It's only after you!"

Still, Vin remained frozen, his mind struggling to reach a decision. Run? Just leave Danil standing alone? Defenseless? But his arrows couldn't kill it. Danil's dagger in its side seemed to have slowed it but it still kept coming. If he didn't run, if he stayed and tried to fight, Danil would try to defend him and be injured again. Maybe even killed. And if the boar really was only interested in him …

Vin dropped the packs but made sure he had his bow and arrows. Turning his back on his new friend was the hardest thing he had yet to do but he knew it was necessary to save both their lives. Quickly scanning the tree line, he spotted an oak with one limb that might be within his reach.

Danil gave a silent sigh of relief as he saw Vin sprint for the woods. Turning to face the boar again he felt another surge of hope as the thing paused to watch its intended victim make good his escape. Excellent. And hopefully the injuries it had taken the evening before had left it in a condition similar to his own.

"Danil! I'm safe. What should we do now?"

"Nothing. Just stay put and see what it does." Obviously it was no ordinary boar so maybe it had the intelligence to finally admit defeat. Danil prayed that it was so but kept his sword ready, just in case.

Vin kept his eyes on the black creature that stood out starkly against the white of the snow. In crossing the meadow it had left a trail of blood from several injuries, wounds that should have killed or at least crippled an ordinary animal. But not only was the thing still moving and still a threat, the blood that stained the snow was an unnaturally dark, rust color. The color of very old dried blood and it made Vin shiver with dread to see it.

Several long moments passed in silence as the two youths waited for something to happen. Danil gritted his teeth against the growing pain in his hip and the numbing cold of his feet. Vin fared little better as he clung to the slippery, snow-wet branch while trying to ignore the ache in his gut. The boar remained motionless as it stood, staring at its prey perched out of reach of its deadly tusks.

Finally the animal lowered its massive head and began turning away. Danil breathed a sigh of relief and eased the cramping grip of his fingers on the hilt of his sword. It had worked. They would watch for a while longer to make sure the beast truly left and then…

"Danil! Look out!"

The half-elf gasped in surprise as the boar whipped back around and suddenly hurtled in his direction! Danil had no choice but to throw his body to the side to dodge the ripping blow of the animal's tusks.

"Nooo!" Vin screamed as he watched his friend hit the ground hard, his body plowing into the soft packed snow. He shifted on the branch and saw the boar pause and look in his direction, an evil intelligence in its red, shining eyes. The boy swallowed thickly as he realized what the creature was doing. It was going to attack Danil in an attempt to draw its real prey down from the security of the tree.

As Danil rolled to his back he reached the same conclusion as Vin and called out in desperation. "Vin! No matter what, don't come down. Stay there! Stay safe!"

Danil pushed himself up on his elbows and knew there was no way he could stand in time to meet the next charge. Releasing his walking stick he sat up straight and gripped his sword with both hands. From this position the boar seemed even larger as it turned to face him once more and lowered its head for what would surely be its final attack. Drawing a shaking breath as he managed to get his left knee under him, Danil whispered a quiet prayer to the goddess to thank her for the good life he'd had and to take care of his family, which included his new brother Vin. His only regret was that he had not had a chance to make peace with Cais before the end. But surely there would be time during their next journey together.

"Danil! No!" Gripping the branch with his legs, Vin drew an arrow and frantically sighted on the one eye of the boar that he could clearly see. He pulled the string back as far as he could and released, all in the single beat of his pounding heart. But the creature began moving even as the arrow started its desperate flight. Vin reached for another arrow and cried out as he felt his body slip to one side. He was forced to drop his bow as he grabbed for the branch but sore muscles, cold fingers and a thin layer of ice all proved his undoing. It wasn't far to fall but he was overbalanced toward his head and that was the part of his body that struck the ground first. He actually heard the sickening crack as the back of his skull hit something a lot harder than snow or fallen leaves. The sharp, overwhelming flare of pain that followed the sound was a blessedly short experience, as his thoughts seemed to fall anew into a dark and featureless void.

The boar began its next charge and Danil fought the urge to close his eyes and duck. Instead he leaned his body forward and braced himself for the blow. He held the point of his sword level and prayed that he might at least be able to hurt the creature enough to give Vin a chance to escape. A flash of red caught his eye and the shaft of one of Vin's arrows suddenly appeared in the animal's neck. The boar staggered and Danil gathered the last of his strength to take advantage of the sudden opportunity. With a wordless cry of pain and anger, the young half-elf pushed his body forward and drove his sword deep into the animal's chest. The boar responded with its own piercing cry as it managed to hook one of its tusks in Danil's shoulder and throw the youth with a savage toss of its head before collapsing into the rust stained snow.

It was pain that kept Danil lying on his back in the snow, looking up at the gray clouds that covered the sky. Now the entire right side of his body hurt from his neck down to his ankle. His lips actually twitched into something between a smile and a grimace as his thoughts whirled chaotically and for some reason came up with the words, 'half is good enough.' He couldn't help thinking that if he had to be hurt in several places, maybe it was a good thing that the worst of it was all on one side of his body. At least the pain was proof that he was still alive. But for how much longer?

Turning his head to the side, Danil immediately spotted the body of the boar, the hilt of his sword and just a few bare inches of steel protruding from its chest. The creature lay unmoving and Danil felt a growing surge of hope that at last the nightmare was over. Then a new and terrifying thought struck him. What if it was playing possum? What if it was just waiting for Vin to climb down and …?

"Vin! Don't come…" His sudden movement and attempt to yell doubled the pain in his ripped shoulder and his words broke off with a gasp and a choking cough that left him dazed and breathless. His vision blurred and darkened and for a frightening moment Danil was afraid that he would pass out. As his breathing settled it occurred to him that he had not heard anything from Vin. He remembered distinctly Vin's warning cry just before the boar's first charge and then it seemed that he had called out again just before the second attack. Why was there only silence now?

"Vin? Vin, are you all right?" Fear for his friend's safety gave Danil the strength to roll to his left side and lift his head from the snow. "Vin? Kerish beyen? Little brother? Please, answer me."

Danil scanned the branches above but saw no sign of his brother. Growing more frantic, he ignored the fire in his shoulder and pushed himself up on his elbow for a better look. From his new position he immediately spotted the small, motionless body lying beneath the trees. "Nai!"

Standing was impossible as Danil quickly and painfully discovered. It was a long moment before the darkness receded from his sight allowing him to see once more. Realizing that he had no choice if he wished to reach Vin, the young half-elf began slowly pulling himself across the snow-covered ground using his left arm while pushing with his left leg. He kept his teeth clenched the whole time and his eyes never wavered from his goal. His entire left side was soaked by the time his fingers brushed the very edge of Vin's cloak and he couldn't tell if the harsh shivering in his body was from the cold or a reaction to his injuries.

"V…Vin? N…n…not a g…good time to…b…be sleeping. Sssstill have… ways…t…to g..go. Vin?"

Reaching Vin's head at last, Danil moaned in anguish as he saw the bright red blood staining the snow beneath his brother's pale cheek. The tears ran scalding hot down his own cheeks as he collapsed beside Vin's body, too spent physically and emotionally to deal with this newest tragedy. But while Danil's thoughts were awash with despair, he was not so lost in his misery that he failed to hear a noise that made his heart suddenly thump madly in his chest.

"Co…cojillium! Nai! Nai!."

Danil turned his head and stared in horror as the evil creature shaped like a boar struggled to its hooves. Blood so dark it was almost black dripped from the blade of his sword, which protruded from the animal's chest. It staggered badly then righted itself and took a halting step forward. Danil sucked in his breath and moaned deep in his throat. Using the very last of his energy, the young half-elf managed to push himself up into a near sitting position, once more putting his own body between Vin and the approaching evil. But that was all he could do. Weaponless and defenseless he could only wait for the inevitable. Anger overcame despair but could only give him enough strength for one last cry of defiance.

"Why! Won't! You! Die!"

"It is dead. It just doesn't know it yet."

Danil gasped and jerked his head back in surprise at the quiet words spoken in a very controlled, level voice. Past his right side strode a light haired man in a dark cloak, a gleaming sword in his gloved hand.

"Animal's just too stupid to know when to give up. Ain't that right, Josiah?"

Another man walked by to the left; dark haired with a thick mustache. From beneath his green cape he drew a double bladed ax as he flanked the now motionless boar.

"Not stupid, Buck, cursed." A third man; older and with a much deeper voice joined the two warriors as they took up attack positions on either side of the animal. In place of an edged weapon he held a wooden staff inset with a multitude of sparkling gems that seemed to glow brighter as he held it aloft.

As if sensing the end of its unnatural life, the enraged boar let out a shrill scream as it attempted once more to charge forward. The grim faced swordsman and his mustached partner struck simultaneously from opposite sides. The beast crashed to ground but continued to twitch and spasm even as the blades were pulled free of its mangled body.

"Enough. Move back now and let me finish it. Ezra, pay attention." Stepping forward, the older man pointed with the crystal tip of his staff and uttered just three words. A flash of blue and white light, like a miniature bolt of lightning, struck the boar and crackled across its body. Black, smokeless flames rose up and within moments the animal was reduced to nothing more than a pile of greasy ash. Moving closer as if to check his handy work, the staff welder bent down and retrieved the sword that had been lodged in the boar's chest. The once gleaming blade was obsidian black with tiny veins of red running down its length.

"I'll need to study this to make sure it is not cursed. If it is sound spiritually, I will give it to Chris or Buck to let them check the integrity of the metal."

Danil blinked as he slowly realized that the man was talking to him. Dazed by the sudden turn of events and succumbing quickly to the effects of his ordeal, he could only nod his head in numb agreement.

The sudden silence was broken by a child's worried voice. "Nathan, is Vin going to be all right?"

As soon as he heard those words Danil realized that there were others behind him and that the question was being asked of a dark skinned stranger who was kneeling over Vin with his hands cupped lightly around the boy's face.

"I believe so Jaydee. It looks like he cracked his skull on a rock. Give me a moment to concentrate."

Nathan. Jaydee. Ezra. Chris. Buck. Josiah.

Danil frowned as he tried to concentrate. Why were those names so familiar? And why was the world suddenly tilting at such an odd angle. Was the sun setting already? Didn't he have some place he was supposed to go?

"Catch him. He's going down."

"Easy, watch that shoulder."

"I've got him. Jaydee, bring me that blanket."

"Who is he? Did the boar attack him?"

"I think we'll have to wait a while for answers to any questions."

"See if you can get him to drink a little water while I finish with Vin. Ezra, bring that other blanket…"

The words faded with the light as Danil closed his eyes and gave himself over to the painless void that beckoned so enticingly.


	5. Half Is Better Than None 5

"Excuse me, I seek the home of the Lady Standish. Will you direct me please?"

Gavin eyed the polite stranger with surprise. Odd enough for there to be an elf wondering about the town right before the mid-winter festival; odder still to have him asking for directions to the home of Maude Standish. Still, the boy seemed harmless enough despite the bow slung across his slender back. His hair was the typical fine, pale blond of elves, worn long and pulled back in a braid that left his pointed ears prominently displayed. And though all elves appeared eternally young with their pale skin and narrow, delicate features, the uncertainty in this boy's eyes revealed his true lack of years and life's experiences.

Realizing that he was staring rather rudely, Gavin cleared his throat and turned to point to the west end of town. "Oh, uhm yes. Dame Standish lives on down a ways. It's the biggest, grandest house on the lane so don't worry about missing it. Just look for the iron gate with the large wreath of holly."

"Many thanks to you sir." The young elf tipped his head and reached for the bulging pack resting by his feet.

"Ah, making a special delivery, is that it?"

"Delivery?"

Gavin pointed to the canvas bag. "For Dame Standish, for the festival. Not that I'm prying or anything."

"Festival presents, yes." The youth smiled as he rested the strap on one shoulder. "For my laes beyen and his family. Once more I offer my thanks for your assistance."

Watching the elf make his way down the street, Gavin gave his head a thoughtful scratch. He wasn't sure who or what a beyen was but the boy seemed pretty certain he'd find him at Standish Hall. "Hmm, maybe has something to do with Dame Standish's boy being a spell caster and all. Well, a bit of new gossip for the missus ought to sweeten her up and maybe she'll forget all about that missing pie."

* * *

"You are mistaken boy, there is no one here by that name."

"Your pardon sir. Is this not the house of the Lady Standish?"

Harron tilted his nose a little higher into the air as he replied, "Of course this is Standish Hall but the one you seek is not here."

The young elf frowned in obvious confusion. "He has left?"

Sighing with the effort of being both polite and patient, Harron stepped back from the door in preparation of closing it; in the young elf's face if necessary. "This Danil Menderson person is not here now nor has he ever been here. Now leave before I summon the stable hand to escort you from the premises."

"Excuse me! Coming by! Harron, which room is my mother in?"

Both the elf and the butler hurriedly stepped aside as Ezra fairly flew through the open doorway. Harron barely had time to call out, "Parlor" before the boy disappeared down the hallway. A shouted "Thank you!" echoed from the hall's wooden paneling in reply.

"Hmmph. Now, as I was saying…."

"You're an elf!"

Harron leaped in surprise at the excited shout that came from just behind his shoulder. Turning quickly he schooled his features back to their normal bored haughtiness as he made the introductions. "Yes Master Ezra, may I present Cais Revinsal. He is apparently under the misconception that someone by the name of Danil Menderson resides here. I was just setting him on his way when…"

While Cais did not speak the human language as fluidly as his heart brother, he could read expressions and voice tones just fine. It was obvious to him that the boy Ezra was higher up in authority than the rude man holding the door and possibly more helpful.

Cais stepped closer and bowed his head in respect to the auburn haired youth. "Greetings to you friend. I am in search of my brother who was sent here by his honored parents. Concerned I am that he is not to be found."

Ezra frowned in confusion. "But why would your parents send him here?"

"His parents. As to why he was sent away, I am afraid that is not a story easy to share. But it is true then, he has not found his way here to his aunt's house?"

"Aunt?" Ezra's voice cracked and his eyebrows climbed his forehead in shock. "Maude Standish? My mother? Related to elves?"

"Nonsense!" Harron forced his body between the two boys and began pushing the door closed. "The very idea is preposterous. You are obviously either confused or misinformed. Leave at once or I shall release the hounds."

"Stop it Harron. You know we don't have any dogs because mother couldn't stand the barking." Ezra stepped around the butler and questioned the elf again. "What makes you think my mother is related to your brother? I can assure you she is no elf."

"Danil's father is also no elf. He is related to Lady Standish by way of a brother through ceremony."

"Brother by ceremony. One of my mother's husbands was an elf?" Ezra's eyebrows rose again and his right hand unconsciously reached for the top of his ear to double-check its rounded shape.

Cais shook his head and made a vague gesture with his own hands. "I am sorry, I do not understand well enough to explain; only to say that Danil's father called Lady Standish sister by pairing and urged him to call upon her."

"Wait a moment! Your brother's a half elf." Ezra surprised Cais by suddenly grabbing his shoulders. "Does he have dark hair like a human and carry a thin sword?"

"Yes! That is my laes beyen! Then you have seen him! He is here!"

"Not here but I know where he is and I will take you there just as soon as I've spoken to my mother. Wait here and I will be right back."

Once more Ezra disappeared down the hallway leaving the disgruntled Harron standing in the doorway. "Hmmph, this is what comes of all that wizard training."

"Ah yes, courageous seeker of knowledge. " Cais smiled and nodded his head in complete agreement.

* * *

"Really Ezra, you know I don't bother to keep up with every in-law. Why, I'm sure there are dozens and most would be looking for handouts…"

"Yes Mother, I'm sure you are quite right but I had hopes that you would at least remember one that might have married into an elven clan."

Maude Standish rearranged her satin skirts to a more artful drape as she preened in front of a large mirror. "I'm sorry dear but not a single name comes to mind."

"Not even Menderson?"

"Menderson?" Maude paused and a thoughtful look crossed her face. "Oh, that would be your Aunt Claudia dear; she partnered with a gypsy prince. And you know how they are about keeping up with family relations." A dismissive wave of her hand clearly illustrated what she thought of the concept. "So if this boy's father is from the same gypsy clan then yes, I suppose in a way we are related. Now, enough about missing cousins, what is this nonsense of you spending the festival day with those dreadful rangers? A short visit I can understand but you know we will be entertaining guests all day and …"

"Your guests Mother, not mine. I am old enough now to decide for myself where I will be spending the festival and that will be among those I consider friends." Ezra found that standing up to his mother about his plans was much easier with his thoughts distracted by the startling discovery that he was actually related to a family of elves; or rather half elves. He had originally returned home to pack a few clothes, grab his bag of presents and spend at least an hour convincing his mother that his absence would be for the best in regards to her reputation. Now, he realized that he didn't care if his mother agreed with his plans or not.

"Friends? Two rangers, a sorcerer and a couple of orphans? Surely you jest!"

Ezra smiled as he bowed farewell to his mother. "I jest not and my name is not Shirley. Good day Mother and may your festival day be bright."

* * *

Cais looked up as the door opened and the young man named Ezra fairly flew down the steps. He had a large satchel under one arm and a bulky sack flung across his other shoulder. Seeing the bag reminded the elf of his sack of presents which rested forgotten in the snow.

"Good, you're still here. Follow me and I'll take you to your brother."

Snatching his bag from the ground, Cais hurried to catch up with the young man striding purposefully down the lane. This was certainly not the way he had imagined his visit to his heart brother's family would take place. Perhaps there was something wrong? Was the Lady Standish ill or had some other tragedy befallen the family? But if this Ezra was her son, he certainly seemed in good spirits, although definitely in something of a hurry. Finally catching up to the boy, Cais decided the direct approach would be the best way to end his confusion.

"My thanks to you and I do not wish to appear ungrateful but you will perhaps tell me where we are going?"

"I have friends that live just outside of the town; two rangers and their wards. Your brother, Danil is with them."

"Then you have met Danil. But you did not know his name?"

"Well, met is not exactly the right word." Ezra glanced briefly at the elf striding by his side. How much should he tell him? Would it be better to wait and let one of the adults explain? The decision was made for him when a hand griped his shoulder and he was firmly pulled to a stop.

"Your pardon for this, but I have walked a great distance to find my foolish beyen and have little calmness now for riddles. You say you know my brother and where he abides but you knew not his name. Tell me how this is possible."

Ezra sighed and nodded his head. "I will tell you everything I know but please, let's keep walking. Once you hear the story, I think you will agree that the less time wasted the better."

Cais felt a shiver of foreboding race up his spine and quickly dropped his hand. 'Ah brother of my heart, what trouble have you found now?'

* * *

"Well?"

Nathan sighed and rubbed his eyes, wishing he had a better answer for his worried friend. "I'm sorry Chris, head injuries are very unpredictable." Looking up, he met the ranger's piercing green stare and did his best to sound optimistic. "I know there wasn't any bleeding inside his skull so there's no reason why he shouldn't wake up. Vin is young and healthy; I think he'll be fine."

"Think. But you don't know for sure." Chris looked down at the pale face of the child that had become as precious to him as a true son. He reached out and gently carded his fingers through Vin's fine hair as he spoke the words of his heart. "I can't lose him Nathan. He's all I have left in this world."

Nathan was left momentarily speechless by Chris' honesty and the fear displayed so openly on his face. Finding his voice one more, he could only repeat his earlier reassurance; afraid of guarantying something that was really up to the gods to decide. "He didn't lose too much blood and he's breathing fine. I think it's just a matter of time now."

Chris nodded his head in understanding; his eyes never leaving Vin's face.

"I need to go check on the other boy. The poultices should have pulled most of the poison out his wounds by now. If Nettie agrees, I'll probably go ahead and heal him." Nathan stepped towards the door but paused as he suddenly remembered the request that had been made of him. "Jaydee asked if he could see Vin for just a little while."

"Does he know? "

"He knows. Buck told him. He was very upset. I think he blames himself for what happened."

Chris looked up in surprise. "How can he think this is his fault?"

Nathan could only shrug his shoulders. "Vin and Jaydee are as close as brothers. I guess he feels that if he had said something or done something differently it might have kept Vin from leaving."

Chris shook his head. "He can't blame himself for this. If fault needs to be laid at anyone's feet it should be mine."

"No, Chris, that's not true. From what you and the others have told me it was all a series of misunderstandings that drove Vin out into that meadow. There's no one person to blame for that. As for Vin being injured, I think we can all agree that the guilt there lies with whoever created that boar."

Chris' green eyes flashed and his hands knotted into fists as anger and frustration once more flooded his soul. "I want him Nathan. I want the sorcerer that did this. I don't care what it takes or who it is; he's a dead man when I find him."

Nathan noted the word 'when' not 'if' and there was no doubt in his mind that Chris spoke the truth. And he also knew that Buck and Josiah would do everything in their power to make his revenge possible. He nodded his head in silent agreement and then quietly took his leave.

As the door to the bedroom closed, Chris turned back to the child lying in his bed. Grasping a small hand in both of his, the ranger pressed it against his cheek. "Come back to me, Vin. This world is too cold and empty without you. When I first found you lying injured in the woods, I knew that you needed me to survive. I never imagined that one day I would be the one needing you." Chris touched his lips to the cool palm as tears fell unheeded from his eyes. "Please, come back to me."

* * *

"There, I think most of that batch actually went down the inside of his throat instead of the outside." Mistress Nettie used a damp cloth to clean the dribbles that had escaped the unconscious half-elf's lips as she handed the empty cup to her newly acquired assistant. "You can lay him back down now and I'll check the poultice on that shoulder."

Josiah sat the cup on the table and then eased himself off the narrow bed where he had been sitting with the injured boy propped against his broad chest. Luck, premonition or a god's will had placed Mistress Nettie at their doorstep upon their arrival, no doubt saving the child's life. Only she had detected the subtle poison in the wounds delivered to the strange half elf by the tusks of the cursed boar. Nathan had been focused on Vin's more serious appearing head injury and had deemed the other boy's wounds could be bandaged and taken care of back the Ranger's home.

While Nathan had followed Chris to his bedroom to tend to Vin, Nettie had gone with Josiah to settle the other half elf and check his injuries. The moment the temporary bandages had been removed she could smell the taint of an evil concoction. Buck was immediately sent to warn Nathan and have him check Vin for bleeding wounds that could have been caused by teeth or tusks. Josiah had been tasked with cleaning the half elf's wounds and applying warm poultices to draw out what poison he could while Nettie brewed what she hoped would be a remedy for that which had already been drawn to the child's heart.

Josiah watched as Nettie lifted the pad from the boy's shoulder and was relieved to see that the skin around the wound did in fact look much better. The angry redness was much diminished and Nettie did not wrinkle her nose in disgust as she had the first time she had sniffed at the blood on the cloth.

"Would you like me to fetch anything else for you?"

"Hmmph. I'd like you to fetch me the beating heart of the bastard that would use a poison like this and a poor, dumb animal to deliver it to his victim."

The sorcerer stared in surprise at the woman by his side. Not that he didn't share her sentiments but to hear such harsh language from Mistress Nettie was shocking to say the least.

Glancing over her shoulder, Nettie 'tsked' and shook her head. "What, an old woman can't speak what's on her mind? I know the mark of evil when I see it and the sorcerer responsible for this deserves no mercy. He needs to be stopped before he can strike again."

"You're right of course; on all accounts. It would be helpful though if we knew for sure who his intended victim is and why Vin was with him."

"Probably just in the wrong place at the wrong time, poor lad."

"Or, considering that they are both still alive, just the right place at the right time."

Nettie replaced the bandage over the boy's shoulder and then pulled a blanket across his chest. "Perhaps. Well, I've done all I can; the wounds are as clean as I can get them. Any poison left in his blood not eased with my brew will have to work its way through, which it should. I think at this point a high fever is all we have to watch for."

"So Nathan can heal the physical damage when he finishes with Vin, and then we just wait."

"Aye, the hardest part of a healer's job."

Josiah rested his hands on Nettie's weary shoulders. "Whoever this young one is, he most definitely has a will to live. I think with you and Nathan aiding him, he will survive this attack."

"We shall see. Who knows, Chris may even have an extra guest at the festival dinner tomorrow night." Nettie rose to her feet and stretched her aching back. "Which reminds me, if you have no plans, you are more than welcome at my table."

"I thank you for the invite but plans were made for Ezra and I to celebrate with Chris' household. In fact, given the unexpected turn of events, Ezra has decided to spend the night here, so that he can be of some comfort to Jaydee. I think in all truth and honesty he blames himself for Vin's sudden departure."

"Nonsense. No one person is to blame for this mess. From what I've heard the origin of this drama began seasons ago and there have been too many players in its making for any one soul to take all the guilt." Nettie began cleaning up her scattered supplies as she spoke. "And what will the Lady Standish think of her son's change in plans? I know how she feels about the scandalous nature of your teachings and his continued association with the Vin and Jaydee; do you really think she will allow this as well?"

"Well, I think we will soon find out. Unless my ears deceive me, I believe my student has returned with an answer."

The dull clatter of objects being dropped carelessly on the floor sounded from below and was quickly followed by racing footsteps pounding up the stairs. In fact, Josiah and Nettie both noted that it was not just one pair of feet but two. Turning to the door they're suspicions were confirmed when Ezra burst into the room closely followed by a young, male elf. Panting and out of breath, the apprentice sorcerer paused and glanced anxiously toward the bed.

"Is he...still...?"

"Alive and somewhat improved. When Nathan returns he will heal the boy's wounds." Mistress Nettie looked to the young elf that stood frozen; his pale gray eyes locked on the still figure lying in the bed. "And who is your companion?"

"This is Cais and he is Danil's . . . heart brother." Ezra nodded to the bed as he spoke Danil's name. "He was at my house looking for him when I arrived to tell Mother my plans."

"Your house?" Josiah arched an eyebrow in confusion.

"Yes, it seems that Danil was coming to spend the winter festival with us since his father is related by way of a brother to one of my mother's sisters through ceremony." Ezra paused and drew a shaky breath, a look of wonder lighting his face as he said out loud the words that had been repeating over and over again in his head. "We're...we're cousins."

"Laes beyen? Ayi noyh, noyh. Kryl jerith mahana felish ryd." Cais moved slowly across the room and knelt beside his brother. Reaching out, he gently stroked the pale forehead and then each cheek. Tears fell from his eyes as he leaned forward to rest his head on Danil's chest. "Ayi noyh. Craste layd."

"Now stop that, your brother is not on the final shore, not if we have anything to say about it." Mistress Nettie spoke firmly and drew startled looks from both Cais and Ezra. "Yes, I can understand your words and I'm telling you now that this is not a time for grieving. What your brother needs now is encouragement, not pity. Touch him, speak to him, tell him the fight's not over and we all expect him to win. Garyn yahtahada!"

Cais' mouth dropped open in stunned disbelief and then a gasp of laughter escaped his lips. "Ah, such a talent my brother has for finding new friends. It is surely a Gift and I will tell him so when he wakes. Garyn yahtahada."

* * *

Vin blinked his eyes and slowly the light in the room grew bright enough for him to see. He felt odd, as if he was both dreaming and awake. He could hear singing and glanced over to his right where he saw his mother placing a large bowl of water on the table.

"Ah, you're awake. Good. Did you have a nice nap?"

 _'I remember this. I fell asleep sitting in Mother's rocking chair beside the fire. She had me take a late nap so that I would be awake during the night. But why? I don't…'_

"Look, here are the candles that Layern brought me. Aren't they beautiful? It almost seems a shame to light them."

They were pretty, if a little oddly shaped for candles. They were not tall and thin, like the candles his mother used to sew by. The ones his mother placed on the table were almost flat, with elegant waves and loops along the sides. And each one was brightly colored and sparkled in the firelight. There were four in all and each one unique. Gently, almost reverently his mother placed three of them in the bowl where they floated gracefully on the water like small, fanciful boats.

"Now it's time to light them. Which one shall we do first, hmmm? Well, I suppose we should start with the one for my Father which is this blue one here." As she spoke, Vin's mother used a taper to light the wick of the floating candle. "I wish you could have met your Grandda, I know you two would have loved each other. He was a stern man but devoted to his family. He would do anything for our happiness."

Vin watched the glow of the candle but suddenly a movement near the hearth caught his attention. His eyes widened as an old man gradually appeared. He had snow white hair down to his shoulders and dark eyes that sparkled. He smiled and winked at Vin as he carefully filled a pipe with tobacco.

"He loved to tell stories and my brother and I would beg for our favorites every night. I remember one time when Joel had a very bad fever; Father sat by his bed all day telling one story after another. He talked until the fever broke and he was hoarse for days afterward. But that was how much he loved and cared for us."

Another candle was lit and once more a shadowy figure appeared near the fire. This time it was a woman, her silver hair pulled back in a bun, her plump cheeks cheerily red in the light of the candles. In her hands she held a ball of yarn that she was slowly and carefully winding from a basket on the floor at her feet. She too smiled at Vin and gave him a friendly nod of her head.

"And this one is for Mother, your granny. I'll never forget the time she caught Father in the cellar with a jug of whiskey. He tried to convince her it was for medicinal purposes. I think it was the lying and sneaking that upset her more than the actual whiskey. Joel and I were both shocked when she broke the jug over his head. And the funny thing is that Father didn't get mad at her. Joel asked him about it later and he said, 'Son, just pray that one day you are fortunate enough to find a woman that loves you so much, she's happy to break a jug over your head.'"

The two people near the fire exchanged amused glances then focused once more on their tasks. Vin knew he was seeing the very people his mother was describing. He started to call her attention to the visiting spirits but as if reading his thoughts, his Grandda held a finger to his lips, bidding him to remain silent.

"And this one is for Joel, your uncle. I have no doubt, that were he around today he would be getting you into all sorts of trouble. And then getting you out again by taking all the blame himself. He was such a prankster and he loved a challenge."

A third figure appeared next to the mantle; a slender man with dirty blond hair pulled back in a braid. His grin seemed to stretch from ear to ear and his eyes sparkled with mirth and mischief. He gave Vin a cheerful little wave and then tilted his head as if listening to his sister's words.

"He was a brave and fearless man. He gave his life to save a child who had fallen into the river during a flood. He managed to get her into the arms of her father before the trunk of a tree struck him and carried away."

Vin saw his mother wipe her cheeks with the back of her hand and knew she was crying. He looked to the attending ghosts, hoping they would reveal themselves but his uncle shook his head, his smile holding more than a hint of sorrow. Vin swallowed and settled back into the rocking chair, pulling the shawl tighter across his shoulders.

"Ah, I miss them all terribly but I am grateful for the seasons we had together. And I know that there will come a day when I will see them all again, goddess willing." Drying her hands on her apron, she slowly reached for the last and in Vin's opinion the prettiest of the candles. She hesitated for a long, silent moment before placing it in the bowl.

"He promised he would return before the second winter. I held on to hope through the third and fourth but Eileen is right, there's hope and then there's pointless wishing and dreaming. Tahvin was a man of his word and he would have returned by now if ….." Her words cut off with a small sob and falling tears made silent ripples in the bowl of water as she lit the final candle.

Vin looked to the fireplace and waited for a fourth ghost to arrive but the old man met his eyes and shook his head, a little smile curling his lips. Vin didn't understand exactly what that meant and made up his mind to ask his mother, but as he turned she began to softly sing. Vin recognized the tune as one he'd heard before but he didn't understand the words. The song had a kind of sad, wistful sound to it that made Vin want to give his mother a hug for comfort. He tried to push the shawl away from his arms but discovered that it was too tightly wrapped. Looking to his mother he tried to call to her for help but found it impossible to make more than the faintest of whispers. Just as he was about to start panicking, his eyes were drawn once more to the bowl with the floating candles. As he watched, the tiny lights seemed to rise and drift silently towards him, the flames shifting to become sparkling jewels that multiplied as they floated above his head just like the stars on a clear night.

Vin tried once more to free himself from the shawl and this time he found that he could lift his right arm. He reached for the brightest star and gasped in surprise when his fingers actually touched it.

* * *

"Vin? Thank Bysha! Thank you. Thank you. Oh, Vin. Oh goddess. I thought I'd lost you forever."

"Wha…?" Vin gasped again as strong arms encircled him in a tight embrace and he lost sight of the stars as his face was crushed against a broad chest. And even though he couldn't see them, Vin could hear the excited voices of Josiah, Jaydee, Buck, Ezra and even Nathan though the healer seemed a lot calmer than the others.

"Easy Chris, easy. Best lay him back down gently; sudden movements might upset his stomach."

"Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean… I haven't hurt him have I?"

Vin blinked as he found himself once more on his back with the white stars hanging just above his head. This time things looked a lot clearer and he could see that the 'stars' were actually irregularly shaped crystals suspended with string from the branches of a tree. Lots of crystals. And the branches seemed awfully close.

"No, no you haven't hurt him. Just give me a moment to check him over." And there was Nathan leaning over him, his dark eyes sparkling in the glow of the crystals. "Hey there Vin, think you could drink a little water for me."

Water sounded really good and it tasted even better. The cool liquid was like a blessing against his tongue and he could feel every precious drop that slid down his throat.

"Careful, not too much. You can have some more later." A warm hand rested briefly on his brow and he closed his eyes and sighed with contentment. "Yeah, guess you needed that. How does your head feel Vin? Any pain? What about your back or stomach?"

Vin gave it some careful thought as his gaze drifted back to the star-like crystals above his head. He could hear singing again and recognized the song but not the voice. It reminded of his dream; or was it a memory? He thought maybe he should be feeling sad, thinking about his mother but all he could feel was an overwhelming urge to just close his eyes and ….

"Nathan?"

The healer smiled and gave Chris a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "He's fine; this is a natural sleep. That was a good sign, him drinking the water and focusing on the lights. He'll probably wake up again in just a little bit."

A collection of relieved sighs and quiet laughter filtered through the trees as Vin's family celebrated the good news. Cais looked up from where he cradled his brother's head in his lap and smiled as he watched the celebration. He continued to sing quietly as he gently ran his fingers across Danil's cheek. 'Ah, what a brave and wonderful thing you have done my brother. You have given this family a very happy Starlight celebration.'

"That song, what is it? I think I've heard it before."

Cais glanced over and saw that the dark haired child, Jaydee, had moved closer and was watching him with wide-eyed curiosity. So much did Jaydee remind him of his own littler brother that Cais couldn't help smiling in fond delight.

"It is the song of thanks that we sing to the stars when we remember the great crossing and those who have made their final journey."

"Thanks to the stars? Why do you thank the stars? All the stars or just certain ones? What do you mean by 'final journey'? And why do …."

"Jaydee, what have I told you?" Buck's quiet admonishment was enough to make Jaydee duck his head in embarrassment but the boy was still smiling when he answered.

"The gods gave me two ears but only one mouth so I could listen more than I talk."

Cais reached out and ruffled the child's hair earning himself a cheeky grin in response. "Those are fine questions but my laes beyen is better at telling stories. When... when he wakes, I am sure he will tell you many fine stories."

"But what about the song? I think I've heard it before, but I can't remember when or where."

"Ah, Cenary's song. She sang it the night our people arrived in this land." Cais tilted his head back so that he could see the real stars high above the leafless branches. "I think, in your words it would start, "In darkness I found light and in … ah .."

"... in despair... I found hope."

"Beyen! Adah acamil! Beyen. Ei cana donaster."

"Yish, yish." Danil lifted his right hand and weakly patted his heart brother's head. "Taska en delai."

Cais laughed in relief and bent to touch his forehead to Danil's. "Gah damick."

Around the united brothers there were smiles and chuckles of relief and the crystals scattered among the branches seemed to shine a little brighter. Nathan moved to Danil's side and rested his hand on the half elf's shoulder.

"Glad to see you're awake. Does your shoulder hurt at all? Or your leg?"

Danil frowned thoughtfully as he shifted his arm again and then his legs. "Noyh. No pain. Heavy though."

"That weakness is from the blood you lost and the poison. But Nettie said you should..."

"Poison?" Danil's frown deepened with confusion and then his eyes flew open wide as the memory of the boar attack flashed through his mind. "Vin! Kerish beyen!" He struggled to sit up, fighting again the weakness of his own body as well as the restraining hands of Nathan and Cais. "Noyh! He fell! He was hurt!"

"Easy! He's fine! He woke up just a moment ago."

"Vin's here? Where?" Danil craned his neck, trying to see past Nathan's shoulder. "Vin?"

"Danil?"

"No point in trying to keep them down Nathan. They'll probably rest easier if we sit them up where they can see each other."

"Vin too?" Nathan looked over to see Chris standing up with Vin cradled in his arms. Shaking his head but smiling non the less, the healer moved back to make room at Danil's side.

"Danil! You're here. Are you alright?" Vin reached out to grasp his new friend's hand as Chris gently laid him down.

"Yes, yes and look, this is my heart brother, Cais." Danil gestured with his free hand but paused as the strangeness of that fact suddenly occurred to him. "Cais? Why are you here?" Danil looked around at the branches that glowed brightly with crystals. "Wherever here is?"

Vin smiled at Cais and then he too looked around in confusion. It was hard to see exactly, because it was night time and everyone was crowded close together, but it looked and felt like they were somehow sitting up in a large tree.

"Isn't it great Vin?" Jaydee had been patient and quiet all day, waiting for the moment when his cousin would wake up. Everyone had kept reassuring him that Vin would be fine but a part of him had still doubted. Had worried that he would lose not only his cousin, but also his very best friend in all the world. To see Vin awake and sitting up again.. that was the best festival present ever! And the combination of relief and happiness became a flood of words that swept across all those gathered leaving them speechless and dazed.

"This is a tree house that Chris built for you as a festival present but it's not really a house, not yet it's more like a big pier up in the branches but it's huge and Chris has been working on it a long time and we can all sit up here and Ezra and Josiah hung the crystals up for remembering because we didn't want you to leave like all the other elves and you don't have to celebrate the mid winter festival if you don't want to but you have to stay because it wouldn't feel right to celebrate without you and I'm sorry you got sad and left and then got hurt and your new friend got hurt by that nasty boar that Josiah says was cursed but your safe now and so is Danil and his brother is here because he was worried about Danil and it turns out that Danil is actually Ezra's cousin just like you and me and he is even a half elf like you and that's alright because it doesn't really matter if you're half human or elf or not because because..."

"Half is better than none." Vin smiled and then grinned at his cousin who sat breathlessly grinning back at him. "I'm sorry I ran away. I just... I remembered before and ….."

"Vin, look at me." Chris spoke softly and waited until Vin was able to bring himself to look the ranger in the eyes. "No matter what the problem is, you can always come to me. Never feel you have to run or hide from me. Your home is here. I want to watch you grow up and be a part of your life forever. So, if you will have me, I'd like very much to be your father. Would you give me that honor and blessing?"

The words wouldn't come but they weren't really needed. Chris could see the answer in his eyes and then Vin was nodding his head and throwing his arms around his father's neck. "Yes! Thank you!"

"Thank you, Vin. My son."

Buck wasn't the only one watching to discretely wipe his nose or brush a tear from his eye. But he was the only one to suddenly find himself pounced on by a very energetic Jaydee who was fairly shaking with excitement. "Vin and Chris are going to be a family! Let's be a family too! You can be my Da and I'll be your son! And since Vin and I are cousins that would make Chris and you brothers!"

"Ah, what? I..."

Josiah laughed and slapped Buck on the back. "That's a fine idea. I've heard more than one person comment that Jaydee resembles you, might as well make it official."

"Yay! I'm going to call you Da from now on!" Jaydee threw his arms around Buck's neck and the tall Ranger instinctively squeezed him back. And at that moment he realized just how good it felt, those small arms around him and the name 'Da' ringing in his ears.

"Yeah... son, we can be a family."

"Good gods, could this evening possibly get any more maudlin?" Ezra had come to terms with the fact that he had a half elf cousin and had been just as relieved to see him awaken as the others. But he had yet to actually meet Danil and felt that he too, had been patient long enough. Not to mention the fact that the blatant display of sentimentality was starting to unnerve him just a bit.

"I'm sorry Ezra, are you feeling left out? Would you like to start calling me Father? I wouldn't mind." Josiah smiled at his apprentice who could only stare at him in shock and dismay.

"Wha... you.. Father? Don't be … that's absurd... you would have to marry my mother and …." Ezra paused as Josiah's smile suddenly took on a more wistful appearance and he remembered how the sorcerer's demeanor would change whenever his mother was around. Drawing himself up to his full height, he pointed a stern finger at his teacher. "Don't even think about it."

Everyone gathered laughed although Chris, Buck and Nathan exchanged brief, knowing glances. Ezra huffed and then settled himself down in front of the smiling elves. "Please excuse the lack of manners. I am Ezra Standish, son of Maude Standish." Ezra held out his hand. "I am pleased to …erch?!"

"Cousin!" Danil leaned forward and used his left arm to pull his cousin into a warm embrace, effectively cutting off Ezra's carefully planned speech. "Quay stah! I am glad to meet you!"

"Ah, yes. The feeling is … mutual." And to Ezra's surprise, it really was.

Nathan hated to bring the joyous moment to an end, but the moon had risen to directly overhead and it was time for all of them to go inside where it would be much warmer. It had been Mistress Nettie who had insisted on them taking the two injured and unconscious boys to the tree house. And while he hadn't understood the reasoning behind it, he respected her knowledge and insight enough to agree with the plan; up to a point. Clearing his throat, the healer made sure he had everyone's attention. "It is late and we all need our rest, especially Vin and Danil. We should move this celebration inside where it is warmer."

Vin leaned back from his father's embrace and stared around at the glowing crystals that seemed to hang from every branch. "Look Danil, it really is like sailing through the stars. Danil?"

In reply, a soft snore came from where Danil's head rested on Ezra's shoulder. The young sorcerer stared beseechingly up at his teacher, not sure what he should do. Laughing, Josiah moved forward to rescue his apprentice. "I think that Nathan has the right of it, warm beds for everyone and tomorrow we have a proper celebration."

Chris cupped Vin's cheek looked once more into his eyes. "Will that be alright with you, Son? Will you celebrate the festival with us?"

"Yes... Father. I want to celebrate with you. Forever."


	6. Epilogue

Epilogue

* * *

"And the verdict is?"

Chris turned the strangely tinted blade in his hands. "Near as I can tell the metal is still sound. It took an edge just fine. It's well balanced. Overall, it is a surprisingly good sword."

"Surprising?" Josiah held out his hand for the narrow blade. He too studied the weapon but while Chris had been looking for imperfections or damage to the steel, Josiah was more interested in magical residues.

"That quality of sword is usually found with those of wealth or in positions of power. It just seems unusual for the son of farmer to have it. Let alone know how to use it."

"Hmmm. What about gypsy royalty? Would that count as a position of power?" Josiah closed his eyes and slowly ran the palm of his right hand all the way down the blade.

Josiah was of course referring to Danil's strange family relationship to Ezra's mother, Maude Standish. It was confusing but after talking with the boy, it appeared that one of Maude's step sisters had married into what the gypsy's considered 'royalty'. Chris shook his head as he finished wiping the polishing oil from his fingers. "I've only spoken with a few gypsies and never in depth. I've heard the phrase Prince of the Clan, but I'm not sure if that's just honorary or if there is real power there." Putting his tools away, it was the ranger's turn to ask, "And the verdict is?

Josiah opened his eyes and frowned at the blade in his hands. "I can feel... something. It is barely there and only noticeable if you're actually looking for it."

"Is it something bad?"

"No... no it is not. It is neither good nor bad. For now it is just an energy. A hum. Nothing more."

"For now." Chris took back the blade and slid it into its sheath. "Is it safe? Can Danil continue to use it?"

"I'd say yes. But it would probably be a good idea to get a second opinion."

"Like Mistress Nettie?"

"While I bow to her expertise when it comes to all things medicinal or herbal, this calls for someone with a different talent. Or Gift. I shall have to think on it."

"And still no idea as to who did this?" Chris' hands tightened into fists and the leather of the sheath creaked in his grip. "No idea who would set this evil after Vin? After my... son?"

"I'm sorry, but no. This is something new to me as well. And we still have to consider the possibility that it was not actually meant for Vin."

"But you heard them! That thing was stalking..."

"Chris, please, just listen to me." Josiah held up a placating hand. "We don't know the origin of the boar. We don't know how far it traveled and we don't know exactly what kind of curse or spell was placed on it. But I can tell you that curse magic requires something that belonged to the victim to make it work. The closer the relationship, the stronger the magic. Blood is the best thing to use but even it is not infallible. Sometimes a family member of the intended victim can suffer as well."

"Family? But.. Vin doesn't have... wait, you don't mean JD?"

"Well, that is a possibility but I was thinking of someone more directly related... like Vin's elvin father."

* * *

"Tell me again what we are doing here and why we must do it so very early in the morning?"

Vin smiled at his friend's disgruntled moaning. True, it was fairly early in the morning, especially for someone like Ezra, but it wasn't really that early. Breakfast was over and done, Buck had already left on an errand with Nathan, and Chris and Josiah were out in the barn taking a look at Danil's sword. Before leaving the house, Chris had given Vin an Danil very firm orders to stay inside where it was warm and spend the day resting. And to prevent any complaints, he'd reminded all the boys of the festivities planned for that evening. At first Vin had been afraid that the day was going to be long and boring, but then Cais and Danil had approached him and JD with a request to have some kind of ceremony that needed at least five people. Vin, being more than a little curious about elves, had not hesitated to drag Ezra from his bed.

"I told you, we're helping out Cais and your cousin Danil."

Ezra blinked owlishly at the two elves sitting on the bed closest to the window in the room that Vin shared with Jaydee. On the other bed, facing them, sat Jaydee, grinning from ear to ear.

"C'mon Ezra, we sit down here where we can watch and listen." Vin patted a spot on the rug between the end posts of the two beds. Ezra frowned and gave his head a slight shake.

"Are you sure you and Danil are up to this? Shouldn't you both still be lying down?"

"We're fine, so quit worrying."

The medicine that Mistress Nettie had provided was every bit as bad tasting as the stuff Danil's mother made and just as effective. Vin was still more comfortable in the leather brace, and the bruises on his stomach were a lurid shade of purple, but overall he was feeling pretty good. Danil also seemed to be much improved. He still favored his right leg and his face was a little pale, but his eyes sparkled with health and cheer as he listened to his new found cousin's early morning grumbling.

"Sit cousin Ezra and drink some more tea to wake yourself up." Danil smiled and gestured with his left arm; his right shoulder still feeling a little stiff. "It is a time honored tradition among our people; a way of clearing the air and settling minor differences. And with the time of remembering approaching, it is especially important to lay to rest any ill feelings and start afresh."

"But with Jaydee as the arbitrator? Really?" Ezra carefully settled himself tailor fashion next to Vin and blew on his tea to cool it.

"Hey! I can be an aw.. awberator. Cais said I'm plenty smart enough." Jaydee shook his finger at the older boy. "You're just jealous 'cause they didn't ask you to do it."

Ezra gave a genteel snort as he sipped from his cup. "I am nothing of the sort. The very idea." Unfortunately for the apprentice sorcerer, the blush in his cheeks was an obvious give away and his friends exchanged knowing glances.

"So, how does this work exactly?" Vin shifted into a cross-legged position as well and leaned his elbows on his knees. He was eager to see more examples of how elves lived their lives and was ready to stuff a rag in Ezra's mouth if that was what it took to get things started.

"Having chosen our canterras and laterras…" Cais motioned first toward Vin and Ezra and then Jaydee as he spoke but was interrupted by Danil's quick translation, "Ears to the truth and decider of the truth." And Ezra found it necessary to follow up with yet another clarification, "Unbiased witnesses and judge."

Cais glared at both boys and asked his laes beyen, "You wish to go on? Your speech being much better than mine own?"

"No, no beyen. You do wonderfully well." Danil nodded his head to where Vin sat attentively waiting. "Our kerish beyen is eager to learn and I only took the opportunity that presented itself."

Slightly mollified, Cais continued with his explanation. "Danil and myself will share the event that has brought us to this … freyterras."

"Moment of truth."

"Impasse."

"Kestin sedan tas!"

"Irritating fleas that bite my bottom."

All eyes turned to Ezra who merely raised an eyebrow as he peered calmly over the rim of his mug.

Danil laughed and gave his heart brother a pat on the shoulder. "Enough, enough. We will start now and put this and the morning behind us."

Turning to Jaydee, the half-elf became serious and bowed his head respectfully. "Hear me now, honored laterras, for I will speak the truth as I know it."

Jaydee's eyes widened and a slight shiver ran down his spine. What he had been excited about as simply something new and fun, suddenly took on a feeling of real importance. Oddly enough, he felt taller and … older. A feeling of calmness stole over him and words sprang into his mind that Jaydee somehow knew to be the correct response.

"My ears are open. Speak truth and I will hear."

Vin and Ezra were surprised to see the younger boy take on a serious demeanor and match Danil's bow with one of his own. All four boys were shocked to hear Jaydee's response and exchanged quick glances. Clearing his throat, Danil gave another small nod and began telling his side of the events that had led to his arrival in Four Corners. It was a short telling, though painful to hear. Vin of course, had heard it before. But after spending time with Danil and Cais, and seeing how happy they were together, he could better understand Danil's feelings of jealously and betrayal.

"I now know the truth of my actions. It was wrong of me to misuse my Gift and then to strike my laes beyen. I ask for a way to make repentance and offer assurance that it will not happen ever again. I would also beg forgiveness and the honor of attending my laes beyen's promise ceremony."

As he finished, Danil bowed his head and stared at his hands clasped in his lap. He thought he would feel better, having spoken the truth out loud for Cais to hear. Instead, his heart felt heavier than ever and he waited in dread to hear his brother's side of the events. It could only be an affirmation of everything he had just spoken, but he was sure it would hurt none the less.

"Hear me now, honored laterras, for I will speak the truth as I know it."

"My ears are open. Speak truth and I will hear."

Cais paused for just a moment and then very clearly said, "My brother has the wits of a sparkfly, and that is the truth as I know it."

"What?! That's not …Ow!"

Cais lowered his hand after having lightly swatted his heart brother on the side of his head. "I did not strike that hard, that is also the truth. You are a witless sparkfly and a bottom flea."

"Bottom…?"

"Quiet. I am speaking truth now." Cais frowned at his brother. "There will not be a promising and you are not to hold guilt for that. I was twice angered with you when we met that day. You, so eager to tell of the darkness found with your Gift but nothing said of the attacks from Annelle's dostna. No, you will listen now, teach later."

As he told his side of the events that took place on that eventful day, Cais found it necessary to use some elven words, but those listening had no problem figuring out their meanings. They listened to the story unfold from this new vantage point and were amazed at the difference a new perspective made.

"On that day I was invited to the midday meal with Annelle and her family and thought nothing of it. So I was unprepared for the promise request she made in front of family and friends. Her friends. Her family. None of mine own. I felt trapped and that the only answer I could give was 'yes'. And the joy in her eyes was such that afterward I felt sure that I had answered correctly. But, while everyone celebrated _her_ good fortune, I felt alone. Where was my family? Where was my laes beyen?"

"I stepped away a moment to think and chanced upon a group laughing over a funny prank. Yes, a very funny prank; you may remember it. It involved a certain half-breed and a particularly tricky place in the shortcut he was known to use. A tricky spot high above the river. Tricky because of the rocks that have to be navigated along the narrow trail. A trail made even more treacherous from the recent rains and the cord hidden among the leaves. Ah, yes, I see memory returns. Slipped, you said. Fell a short distance, you said. I remember your mother remarking on the number of bruises and how a little more pressure would have left your ankle broken and not just swollen. Now at last do I hear the truth from those that arranged the 'slip' and found it humorous. Such a funny joke. All the way down the hillside to the very river itself. Caused it, witnessed it, rejoiced in it and left you there, no doubt laughing at the damage inflicted."

"And I am reminded of other occurrences where I encountered you muddied, bruised, clothes torn. You were always quick to grin and claim accidents and misjudgment, and I was too caught up in my own affairs to question this sudden, strange clumsiness. Danil, clumsy? Danil, careless? He, a rope dancer from the day of his fourth turn? Really? Yes, you have the wits of a sparkfly but I, I had even less."

"Suddenly I felt trapped and betrayed by the two who meant the most to me. I decided that I would talk with Annelle later, in a more private moment but you, my laes beyen I would deal with immediately. I made my excuses and left to find you. And every moment it took was another mark for me to grow angrier and I could not tell if it was all for you or myself. At last I found you but before I could ask the first question you revealed your murky deed. Apologize not to me for the abuse of your Gift. Apologize instead to the gods who bestowed it upon you and no doubt expected better use."

"And not one word did you speak of your feelings of loss for our friendship. Nothing did you say of the abuse handed out by Annelle's friends. Instead, all I hear is how you Saw this and you Saw that and how foolish it was for me to be blinded by fair skin and rose lips. My foolishness. My blindness. My fault. Know you I am not quick to violence, preferring words over fists. But still I attacked. I struck back with words. Ill-chosen words that were forefront of my mind for having just recently heard them spoken by others. It was a surprise attack and was as effective as a blow from the back. You were blindsided and responded in an expected manner. I should consider myself lucky you were not carrying your sword at the time."

"Your response shocked both of us but where you were brought back to your senses I was still lost in my anger and feelings of betrayal. My next words drove you away, and for that I am sorry. I ask for forgiveness and a way to show my repentance."

Danil stared in shock at his heart brother. "You... you will not promise to Annelle? Is it because of what I said? You should not..."

"Were your ears open? Were you not listening? I said that you are not to blame." Cais shifted uncomfortably and picked at a loose thread on the bed's coverlet. "After we parted I sought the counsel of my father and told him all that I knew. He was much disappointed in both of us. But, it seems that he also shares some guilt in this sad event as well."

Danil looked at his human friends and gave them a small smile. "You know it not, but sitting before you is the second son of Tamil Revinsal." Seeing their blank looks, his smile became a little more impish than sheepish. "What, know you not of the ruling family of the Gold River Clan?"

"Ruling... second son? A prince?"

"In your language, yes."

Ezra's jaw dropped and Vin's eyes became as big as saucers. Jaydee merely tilted his head to one side as he appeared to closely study the elf before him.

"Yes, prince, but young and innocent in the ways of the world. Or so my father informed me. He knew of Annelle's family and knew that they were much desirous of wealth and power. When I had begun spending time with Annelle he had feared the worst but decided to wait and see how events played out. He had hoped it was but a summer dalliance and nothing more. He was not surprised by the clever trap they had laid nor by their associate's treatment of Danil. Long we talked and so I came to realize what steps I had to take. First was the breaking of the arrangement with Annelle. And as she had made her desire public, so I too made my breaking. But this time it was before both her family and mine."

"And then I began my journey to find you, my laes beyen. A day behind but not, thankfully, a day too late."

Cais held out his left hand which Danil clasped within his own. "And for that I do thank the gods."

Vin smiled at the happy ending to the brother's stories. "So now..."

"Your truths have been spoken and I have heard." All eyes turned in surprise to Jaydee as his voice filled the room. "Danil Menderson, a Gift should never be used for selfish reasons. You will labor for those in need in your clan until the first fruits of summer ripen. You will ask for and expect nothing in return. Because you thought you could not share in your beyen's happiness, you tried to end it. You would not abandon your heart brother in a time of need, why should you in a time of joy? Cais, son of Tamil Revinsal, the loyalty of a true friend has value beyond gold or gems. It cannot be measured nor can it be set aside like a book to be read at a time of your choosing. You will work beside your laes beyen. You will ask for and expect nothing in return. Remember always, a shared burdened is halved, a shared joy is doubled, and forgiveness is easier given than received."

Silence so thick it could be felt against the skin descended on those gathered. No one moved or spoke. Jaydee stared back serenely with a stillness that was unheard of for a child that normally seemed always in motion. Vin nervously licked his lips and opened his mouth to speak but hesitated, unsure of what to say.

The bright, golden chime of a bell suddenly split the silence and in the gap a loud, merry voice called out, "Hello hello! Greetings to the house! Where is everyone?"

Jaydee blinked and like water suddenly released from a dam, his body was instantly filled to overflowing with energy. "That's Da! Da's home!" Springing from the bed he dodged between Vin and Ezra and ran to the door. "Coming Da! We're up here!" He disappeared through the door but almost immediately returned. "Oh, did we finish? Did I do it right?"

"Ah, yes. You were … you did very well."

"Great! Coming Da!"

"Well, that was…interesting." Ezra sat his empty cup on the floor and levered himself to his feet using the edge of the bed for support. Reaching down, he gave Vin a hand up and then looked to Danil and Cais. "Since this was a … success and there appears to be no harm; I would suggest that we keep the exact details of this … event to ourselves."

Vin also looked to the elves who both sat in stunned silence. "Yeah, I think maybe you're right. Uhm, Danil? Me and Ezra are going to go down and see Buck. You can come down when you're ready."

"Ah, thank you kerish beyen. Wise beyond your years. Yes, we will join you shortly."

* * *

Danil stared at the closed door for a long moment, his thoughts skipping about like a water bug. Finally he glanced over at Cais who was once again worrying at the thread on the coverlet.

"So... will your thoughts need a silver for the boat ride home?"

Cais smiled and then chuckled. "A gold at the least." Finally meeting the eyes of his heart brother, he tried to explain what he was thinking but found it hard to find the right words in any language. "The child, or whichever god that was, spoke truth as well. I forgave you before I started on this journey. I am finding it very, very hard to forgive myself."

Danil nodded thoughtfully. "I agree. But perhaps that is what the labor is for. And if it will help you, I will make sure to give you more of my share."

Cais snorted. "Oh, so very generous of you my brother! Such a giving spirit! To be sure, my heart feels lighter already with the mere promise."

And though it was said in jest, there was also truth to Cais' words. The two friends smiled and shared a quick embrace.

"Ah, enough, enough. We should join our host and see what all the noise is about." Danil accepted Cais' help in standing and then stood for a moment listening. "It reminds me much of the time with the bear and the skunk."

"Speaking of which, why is it, dear brother, that whenever you get us into trouble, I end up working?"

"Whenever _I_ get us into trouble. Oh yes, it is of course entirely my fault."

"It always is."

"Ah! What of the frog in Margrey's sewing?"

"The frog you caught? The basket you provided? Yes? Is my memory false? Shall we begin a counting, starting with the cup of worms and my brother's celebration cake? Or perhaps we should start with the raft and the near drowning of us both?"

"That would have worked had it not been raining for days up in the mountains and the old dam given way."

The two youths continued their banter as they made their way downstairs. The memories flowed back and forth like a weaver's shuttle, drawing the threads of their lives closer with each pass; the tapestry of their future far from finished.

* * *

"Da! You're home!"

Jaydee pelted down the stairs and flew to his father's side. Buck was still standing just inside the door with his cloak pulled closed across his chest. Jaydee threw his arms about his father's waist to give him a good squeeze but jumped back in surprise when Buck's stomach made a strange noise.

"Careful son. He's still a bit small, but just like you, soon he'll be big and strong."

Eyes wide with curiosity, Jaydee slowly pulled back the edge of his father's cloak and came nose to moist nose with a black puppy.

"Is...is... he mine? Really, really mine?"

"All yours, so you will have to name him."

Buck handed over the squirming pup to Jaydee who suddenly broke out in loud giggles as his face was thoroughly covered in wet, slobbery licks.

"Vin, Ezra! Look! Buck gave me a puppy! Isn't he wonderful? I have to name him but I don't know what to name him because I've never had a puppy before and I know you're supposed to name them something that fits but he's all black even his eyes are black and look how his tail wags I'll bet he's going to be big when he grows up can he sleep with me in my bed?"

"Uh...yes?" Buck was slightly caught off guard by the sudden question but at that moment, caught up in Jaydee's happiness, the ranger would have said yes to just about anything asked of him.

"Yay!" Jaydee placed the puppy on the floor and the two of them began a mad dash about the house. But the frenetic run ended with a spectacular trip and fall on the hearth rug just as Danil and Cais arrived at the bottom of the stairs.

"Jaydee!" Buck surged forward but stopped as peals of laughter and giggles filled the room as Jaydee once again found his face and ears attacked by a very determined tongue.

At that moment Chris and Josiah entered the house along with Nathan who was carrying a small, cloth wrapped bundle very carefully in his hands. Chris had a worried look on his face as his eyes sought out Vin's across the room. The boy was drawn to his father's side but found his attention riveted on the healer who spoke first.

"Vin, I've talked to Chris about this but the decision is yours to make." Pulling back the edge of what Vin could now see was a tattered scrap of blanket, Nathan revealed another black puppy. But where as Jaydee's had been large and full of energy; this one was smaller and lay sleeping in Nathan's hands. Vin also noticed that instead of being solid black, this puppy had patches of white around it's mouth and on its paws.

"He was the runt of the litter and wasn't getting as much to eat as the other puppies. But I've checked him over and I even had Mistress Nettie take a look at him. We think that with some extra care he'll be just fine and grow up nice and healthy."

Vin reached out a tentative hand and stroked the puppy gently on its head. He was rewarded with a sleepy tail wag and a quiet, contented sounding sigh.

"Mistress Nettie fed him just a short bit ago so he's full and warm. He'll probably sleep for a while longer."

Looking up at his father, Vin wasn't sure what to say. But his eyes must of conveyed the yearning in his heart because Chris smiled and nodded his head.

"He's yours if you want. But like Nathan said, you'll have to work a little harder to take care of him."

"Thank you!" Vin carefully accepted the bundled pup from Nathan's hands and gently carried it over to where Jaydee and the other boys were gathered by the fireplace.

"Look! Vin has a puppy too! What are you going to name yours Vin? I'm going to name mine Liquorice because he's black like the candy and he likes to lick and liquorice sounds kind of like lick. Hey, if they are from the same litter that makes them brothers. I hope we can tell them apart from each other. What did you say his name was?"

"I haven't named him yet. But he's not all black like yours, see? He has some white on his front paws."

Josiah walked up behind Ezra and rested one hand on his apprentice's shoulder. "Not feeling left out are you? Because if you are..."

"I assure you I am in no need or desire of the responsibility of raising a dog."

"But Ezra, they're fun!"

"Yes, until they do that."

Jaydee wrinkled his nose when he saw what Liquorice was doing on the rug. "Ewww. Why did he do that inside?"

"Because he hasn't been trained not to yet. And that's what Ezra meant by responsibility." Buck patted his son on the head. "Go out to the barn and find an old rag to clean up the mess."

"But... but..."

"Unless you don't want to keep him? Do I need to take him ba..." Buck suddenly found himself talking to empty air as Jaydee disappeared out the front door. "Well, I guess that means Liquorice gets to stay."

Danil and Cais stood on either side of Vin, admiring his new friend. "He is small now but look at the size of his paws." Danil held one carefully in his hand and ran his thumb over the soft, white toes. "My father says a puppy will always grow into his paws."

Vin smiled as he stared in absolute contentment at his new companion. It didn't matter if he grew big or not, or if he had white toes instead of black. He didn't have to be perfect as long as he lived and was as happy as his new owner.

"Danil, what's the elf word for happy?"

"Ah, that would be raetan."

"Then that's what his name is, Raetan. Hey, that's kind of like my name, but backwards."

"I suppose, though they mean two very different things."

"Tannerae has a meaning?"

"You did not know?" Danil shared a surprised look with Cais and then cleared his throat. "My apologies, as has been pointed out on more than one occasion, I do have the wits of a sparkfly. Most elves can trace their families back several generations and the names have meanings for the families. Cais' last name means river song. Mine, however, came from my human father who was a gypsy so it means exactly as it sounds, a mender's son."

"And my name? Tannerae?"

"Star spirit."

"Really?" Vin looked over at his father. "Did you hear?"

Chris smiled and nodded to his son but was reminded of Josiah's suggestion regarding the curse spell placed on the boar. Could someone have been targeting Vin's father instead of Vin? And if so, wouldn't that mean that he was still alive and might one day...

"Da! Da! Look who's here! It's Mistress Nettie with a basket of cookies and Ezra's mom and she has food and presents too! Can we start the festival now? Please?"

"Mother? Here?" Ezra could only stare in shock as his mother, dressed in her finest festival attire, did in fact enter the house followed by three servants loaded down with bags and baskets. There was a great deal of shuffling about as the addition of that many people and objects filled the ranger's home to near bursting. Vin and his two elven friends retreated to the stairs to watch and were quickly joined by Jaydee and Liquorice.

"Mother! What are you doing here? What is all this?"

"Now Ezra, is that anyway to greet your loving mother who has come all this distance in the cold to spend the mid-winter festival with you and your friends?"

"Surely you jest."

"No dear, Shirley is the name of your aunt on the Timberline's side of the family and while _she_ may be known as something of a japester, I am much more serious in nature."

Ezra could only stare open mouthed as his mother began directing the servants as to the placement of food, gifts and decorations. Within moments the ranger's rather plain dwelling was transformed into a sparkling, ribbon festooned wonderland with mouth watering smells from the fire and a heavily laden table. When their tasks were complete the servants gave quick bows as they took their leave but not, Ezra was again shocked to see, without being slipped a gold coin apiece by his mother.

"Dame Standish, always a pleasure." As the room quieted Josiah saw his chance and greeted the beautiful woman with a courtly bow. "May I take your cloak and offer you a cup tea?"

The dimples that appeared in Maude's cheeks were quite fetching as too the slight blush. Josiah became oblivious to all those watching as he doted on his apprentice's mother.

Ezra waited until his mother was seated next to the fire and then confronted her once more. "But what of your guests? You are supposed to be hosting your own celebration right now."

"And so I am. Really dear, most of those that visit are only there for the wine, food and music. I watched from my room at the top of the stairs for nearly a full candle mark and was not missed by those making merry below."

"I would have missed you before the first bead of wax had a chance to cool on its downward journey. And would have been left just as cold away from the flame of your presence."

Ezra's eyes became wide as saucers as he saw his mother blush once more while accepting a cup of tea and the kind words from his teacher.

The obviously flustered Maude Standish turned briskly to her son. "Now dear, if I am to understand correctly, we have a relative joining us for this celebration? Will you kindly make introductions?"

"Ah, of course." Ezra looked to the stairs but Danil had heard the request and was already approaching along with his laes beyen. "Mother, allow me to present Danil Menderson and his heart brother Cais Revinsal."

Maude greeted each youth with a genteel hand-clasp and regal nod of her head. "Danil, I hope that you will guest with us at least once before you return to your family. Of course your laes beyen is more than welcome to join you. And Cais, I trust that your parents Tamil and Estera are doing well? Please take them my regards upon your return."

"Las brin, but I am surprised. You know my family?"

"Of course. You were just a wee babe when I last visited but we have exchanged a few missives since then." Maude took a sip of her tea and glanced to her right where Josiah had taken up a quiet, contented residence. "Hmm, yes, now why don't you boys go and amuse yourselves while the adults speak? If you look in that pile of parcels I'm sure you will find entertainment a plenty."

Ezra was reluctant to leave his mother and teacher alone and shot a worried glance between the two before giving in to Danil's tug on his sleeve.

Maude had spoken truthfully and between the puppies, presents and heaping piles of food and sweets, the day of the mid-winter festival passed as quickly as a flock of snow birds winging their way to warmer climes. Seemingly all too soon, Maude's carriage arrived with brightly glowing lanterns to take her and Ezra back to their home. Josiah happily accepted a ride into town and after such a truly wonderful day, Ezra could not find it within himself to be the least putout. Nathan and Mistress Nettie were also invited to ride and took their leave as well. Within moments the ranger's house was once more a quiet haven of warmth and peace.

Buck stretched his back and stood next to the closed door, taking just a moment to appreciate the decorations and bask in the feeling of contentment that filled his heart and soul. Glancing toward the dying fire, he spotted his son and Liquorice lying asleep with someone's cloak tossed over them as a blanket. Next to them sat Chris with Vin and Raetan wrapped securely in his arms. Danil, still recovering from his injuries, had grown tired earlier in the evening and had retired for the night with Cais to keep him company.

"Well ol' dog, looks like the party is over."

Chris nodded his head and smiled. "All except for the cleaning which I say we leave for the morrow."

"Couldn't agree with you more. Need a hand getting up?"

"If you could take them for just a moment? I think my right leg has gone numb."

Buck laughed as he bent to scoop up the sleeping child and snoring pup. "How about I carry yours while you get mine?"

"Deal. Are we really going to let the puppies sleep with them?"

"We'll put them in a basket next to their bed. And no doubt be awakened with the sun's rising by whines and whimpers of distress."

"Are you referring to the pups or Jaydee?"

Once in the bedroom, Buck took charge of the puppies while Chris settled the boys in their bed. Both men moved as quietly as possible so as not to awaken Danil and Cais sleeping back to back in the other bed. As Chris bent to tuck the coverlet in, he heard a sleepy murmur and saw that Vin's eyes were open and watching him.

"Go back to sleep. All is well."

"I didn't give you a festival gift." Vin yawned and blinked owlishly as he fought a losing battle against the tide of sleep. "I love you, Da. Wanted...to show you..."

"You have Vin. And you've just given me the best present ever. I love you to son. Now sleep and have happy dreams."

Outside the snow began to fall once more, the flakes of ice drifting silently and unseen in the darkness of the woods. The morning sunrise would bring light and life once more to the world but for now, all slumbered in sweet repose and dreams, if any, were filled with warmth and joy.


End file.
